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Tripartite Class Coastal Minehunters (MHCs)

The main task of the minehunters is to keep the sea, the coastal waters and the harbor mouths free of mines. In addition, they protect maritime units in a dangerous area by performing specific mine countermeasure operations. The units can be deployed worldwide in support of country operations from the sea. But also closer to home for the detection and clearance of mines and explosives at sea in the the continental shelf. Minehunters are in constant demand in times of peace, let alone in times of war. Even today, minehunters regularly destroy Allied and Axis mines that remain from the Second World War. NATO minehunters have been involved in operations in the Adriatic Sea to clear the area of NATO ordinance jettisoned during the 1998 NATO air war against Yugoslavia. The Tripartite class was a joint venture between Belgium, France and the Netherlands. These mines hunters are a joint design of Netherlands, Belgium and France. France has supplied the equipment, Belgium the electronic system, and the propulsion comes from Netherlands. Because of this cooperation between 3 countries is the international name of this ship class is the Tripartite class.

The most striking feature of the minehunter is the complete absence of steel: the hull is of polyester and building of aluminium. This is done because many mines respond to disturbances in the magnetic field. This construction prevents this. These minehunters feature special polyester construction with no magnetic field distortions. As a result mines do not explode as a minehunter speeds over it. The size of the crew is depending on the tasks to perform. The total varies between 28 and 38 crew members. Everyone on Board has its own tasks and specialty. In addition, each crew member a specific role in special situations such as the combat of disasters as fire and damage. In all cases there is one team that intensively in a relatively small space under often harsh conditions.

Royal Netherlands Navy Alkmaar-class

Van der Giessen-de Noord shipbuilders delivered 15 Tipartites to the RNLN between 1983 and 1989 and 2 modified ships to the Indonesian Navy in 1988. The Dutch minehunting force consisted of 12 Tripartite (or Alkmaar) class minehunters. This compares well, for instance, with the British Royal Navy's 17 minehunters. The mine countermeasures vessel (MCMV) force was reduced as per the Defense White Paper 2000, which was released in November 1999. A general reduction in the force size was needed due to budget limitations. Alkmaar (Tripartite) Class Coastal Minehunters (MHCs): The Alkmaar class MHCs Alkmaar, Delfzyl, and Dordrecht were decommissioned in 2000, leaving twelve units of the class in service as of 2001.

The remaining 12 were extensively modernized from 2003-2008. Upgrades included an improved hull-mounted sonar, the Propelled Variable Depth Sonar (which will enable the MHCs to detect buried mines), and the ability to operate the "Troika" mine countermeasures craft. This modernization program would allow Dutch Tripartites to continue to operate both independently and as leading members of NATO's standing minehunting fleets well into the 21st century.

The Royal Netherlands Navy had about 10 minehunters of the Alkmaar-class by 2012. Two more minehunters had been withdrawn from Dutch service, and the 10 minehunters were modernized in the Project Adjusting Mine hunters-counter-measures Capability (PAM). The electronic sensors are adjusted to the mines to improve control capacity.

The minehunters of the Royal Netherlands Navy can be equipped with 2 sonars, Hull Mounted Sonar (HMS) and always a depending on the mission profile a Self Propelled Variable Depth Sonar (SPVDS). Finds a minehunter off the seabed. With this sonar equipment can not only mines, but also, for example, shipwrecks and missing containers be detected.

Each minehunter has an underwater vessel, the Seafox C/i. As the crew suspect that they have found a mine with their sonar equipment, they let the Seafox to water. The Seafox is equipped with a video camera and a mines destruction cargo. The video images are analysed on board. If the Seafox-C (Combat) indeed goes to a mine, the cargo in the Seafox-C is activated. The Seafox-C is then blown up together with the mine. The Seafox-I (Identification) has no destruction cargo. With this implementation of the Seafox the mines will only be identified.

In addition to the peacetime roles discussed above, the RNLN minehunting force would be vital if and when the Netherlands goes to war. Traditionally, the force would have been tasked with keeping Dutch ports open in order to allow NATO convoys to supply Western Europe. As Europe and the Netherlands move away from the Cold War military atmosphere, the likely wartime role for the RNLN's minehunters would be to clear the way for a Dutch, NATO or EU amphibious force. Even in small peacekeeping conflicts against technologically primitive enemies, the threat of mines is constant, and the Dutch minehunters would be essential to protect high-profile assets like Hr. Ms. Rotterdam.