Naval Group held a keel-laying ceremony for the Dutch navy's first new MCMV, Vlissingen , in Lanester on 14 June. (Belgium Naval & Robotics)

French shipbuilder Naval Group held a keel-laying ceremony for the first new mine countermeasures vessel (MCMV) on order for the Royal Netherlands Navy in Lanester on 14 June.

The new vessel, named Vlissingen , is the second of the 12 MCMVs on order for the Belgian and the Netherlands (BE/NL) navies under their joint replacement rMCM programme.

The latest milestone follows the keel laying for the Belgian Navy's first ship, Oostende (M 940), in Concarneau in November 2021.

The Belgium-led BE/NL MCM programme is being delivered by Belgium Naval & Robotics – a consortium of Naval Group and ECA Group – under a contract awarded in May 2019. Valued at almost EUR2 billion (USD2.4 billion), the contract includes the supply of 12 2,800-tonne displacement mother ships (six for each navy) and an MCM ‘toolbox' of unmanned/autonomous systems that will equip the vessels.

Naval Group held a keel-laying ceremony for the Dutch navy's first new MCMV, Vlissingen , in Lanester on 14 June. (Belgium Naval & Robotics)

French shipbuilder Naval Group held a keel-laying ceremony for the first new mine countermeasures vessel (MCMV) on order for the Royal Netherlands Navy in Lanester on 14 June.

The new vessel, named Vlissingen , is the second of the 12 MCMVs on order for the Belgian and the Netherlands (BE/NL) navies under their joint replacement rMCM programme.

The latest milestone follows the keel laying for the Belgian Navy's first ship, Oostende (M 940), in Concarneau in November 2021.

The Belgium-led BE/NL MCM programme is being delivered by Belgium Naval & Robotics – a consortium of Naval Group and ECA Group – under a contract awarded in May 2019. Valued at almost EUR2 billion (USD2.4 billion), the contract includes the supply of 12 2,800-tonne displacement mother ships (six for each navy) and an MCM ‘toolbox' of unmanned/autonomous systems that will equip the vessels.

Naval Group held a keel-laying ceremony for the Dutch navy's first new MCMV, Vlissingen , in Lanester on 14 June. (Belgium Naval & Robotics)

French shipbuilder Naval Group held a keel-laying ceremony for the first new mine countermeasures vessel (MCMV) on order for the Royal Netherlands Navy in Lanester on 14 June.

The new vessel, named Vlissingen , is the second of the 12 MCMVs on order for the Belgian and the Netherlands (BE/NL) navies under their joint replacement rMCM programme.

The latest milestone follows the keel laying for the Belgian Navy's first ship, Oostende (M 940), in Concarneau in November 2021.

The Belgium-led BE/NL MCM programme is being delivered by Belgium Naval & Robotics – a consortium of Naval Group and ECA Group – under a contract awarded in May 2019. Valued at almost EUR2 billion (USD2.4 billion), the contract includes the supply of 12 2,800-tonne displacement mother ships (six for each navy) and an MCM ‘toolbox' of unmanned/autonomous systems that will equip the vessels.

Naval Group held a keel-laying ceremony for the Dutch navy's first new MCMV, Vlissingen , in Lanester on 14 June. (Belgium Naval & Robotics)

French shipbuilder Naval Group held a keel-laying ceremony for the first new mine countermeasures vessel (MCMV) on order for the Royal Netherlands Navy in Lanester on 14 June.

The new vessel, named Vlissingen , is the second of the 12 MCMVs on order for the Belgian and the Netherlands (BE/NL) navies under their joint replacement rMCM programme.

The latest milestone follows the keel laying for the Belgian Navy's first ship, Oostende (M 940), in Concarneau in November 2021.

The Belgium-led BE/NL MCM programme is being delivered by Belgium Naval & Robotics – a consortium of Naval Group and ECA Group – under a contract awarded in May 2019. Valued at almost EUR2 billion (USD2.4 billion), the contract includes the supply of 12 2,800-tonne displacement mother ships (six for each navy) and an MCM ‘toolbox' of unmanned/autonomous systems that will equip the vessels.

Naval Group held a keel-laying ceremony for the Dutch navy's first new MCMV, Vlissingen , in Lanester on 14 June. (Belgium Naval & Robotics)

French shipbuilder Naval Group held a keel-laying ceremony for the first new mine countermeasures vessel (MCMV) on order for the Royal Netherlands Navy in Lanester on 14 June.

The new vessel, named Vlissingen , is the second of the 12 MCMVs on order for the Belgian and the Netherlands (BE/NL) navies under their joint replacement rMCM programme.

The latest milestone follows the keel laying for the Belgian Navy's first ship, Oostende (M 940), in Concarneau in November 2021.

The Belgium-led BE/NL MCM programme is being delivered by Belgium Naval & Robotics – a consortium of Naval Group and ECA Group – under a contract awarded in May 2019. Valued at almost EUR2 billion (USD2.4 billion), the contract includes the supply of 12 2,800-tonne displacement mother ships (six for each navy) and an MCM ‘toolbox' of unmanned/autonomous systems that will equip the vessels.

Naval Group held a keel-laying ceremony for the Dutch navy's first new MCMV, Vlissingen , in Lanester on 14 June. (Belgium Naval & Robotics)

French shipbuilder Naval Group held a keel-laying ceremony for the first new mine countermeasures vessel (MCMV) on order for the Royal Netherlands Navy in Lanester on 14 June.

The new vessel, named Vlissingen , is the second of the 12 MCMVs on order for the Belgian and the Netherlands (BE/NL) navies under their joint replacement rMCM programme.

The latest milestone follows the keel laying for the Belgian Navy's first ship, Oostende (M 940), in Concarneau in November 2021.

The Belgium-led BE/NL MCM programme is being delivered by Belgium Naval & Robotics – a consortium of Naval Group and ECA Group – under a contract awarded in May 2019. Valued at almost EUR2 billion (USD2.4 billion), the contract includes the supply of 12 2,800-tonne displacement mother ships (six for each navy) and an MCM ‘toolbox' of unmanned/autonomous systems that will equip the vessels.