Alkmaar-class minehunter
{{short description|Ship class of the Dutch navy}}
| {{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image |Ship image= File:M 853 Haarlem Bergen Norway 2009 2.JPG |Ship caption=Haarlem }} {{Infobox ship class overview | Name = Alkmaar class | Builders = Van der Giessen-De Noord, Alblasserdam | Operators =
| Class before = {{sclass|Dokkum|minesweeper|4}} | Class after = Vlissingen class | Subclasses = | Cost = 1.3 billion Dutch guilders | Built range = 1979–1989 | In commission range = 1983–present | Total ships building = | Total ships planned = 15 | Total ships completed = 15 | Total ships cancelled = | Total ships active = 14 | Total ships laid up = 1 | Total ships lost = | Total ships retired = | Total ships scrapped = | Total ships preserved = }} {{Infobox ship characteristics | Hide header = | Header caption = van Amstel (1991), p. 80.Woudstra (1982), p. 156. | Ship type = Minehunter | Ship displacement = {{cvt|510|t|LT}} | Ship length = {{cvt|49.10|m|ftin}} | Ship beam = {{cvt|8.90|m|ftin}} | Ship height = | Ship draught = | Ship draft = {{convert|2.45|m|ftin}} | Ship decks = | Ship deck clearance = | Ship ramps = | Ship ice class = | Ship power = | Ship propulsion = *2 screws
| Ship speed = {{convert|15|kn}} | Ship range = {{convert|3000|nmi|lk=in|abbr=on}} at {{convert|12|kn}} | Ship endurance = | Ship boats = 2 x PAP 104 | Ship capacity = | Ship troops = | Ship complement = | Ship crew = 22-34 | Ship time to activate = | Ship sensors = *1 x DUBM 21B sonar | Ship EW = | Ship armament = *1 x 20 mm machine gun | Ship armour = | Ship aircraft = | Ship aircraft facilities = | Ship notes = }} |
The Alkmaar class is a ship class of fifteen minehunters that were built in the Netherlands for the Royal Netherlands Navy.Raven (1988), p. 185.Schoonoord (2012), p. 320. They are based on the design of the {{sclass2|Tripartite|minehunter|4}}, which was developed by a collaborative effort between the Netherlands, Belgium and France, and replaced the minesweepers and minehunters of the {{sclass|Dokkum|minesweeper|4}}.{{cite news |author= |date=10 August 1981|title= Mijnenjager Delfzijl |url=https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ddd:011008357:mpeg21:a0260 |work= Nieuwsblad van het Noorden | language=Dutch|location= |access-date=}}Raven (1988), p. 141.Schoonoord (2012), pp. 202–203.
Design and construction
In 1975 the Netherlands, Belgium and France signed an agreement to develop a new mine countermeasures vessel together.{{cite news |author= |date=17 May 1982|title= Koningin doopt eerste van nieuw type mijnenbestrijder |url=https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ddd:010627766:mpeg21:a0054 |work= Nederlands Dagblad | language=Dutch|location= |access-date=}} At the same time it was also decided that each country would contribute to the construction by being responsible for certain components and systems.{{cite news |author= |date=30 May 1983|title= Nieuwe mijnenbestrijder bij marine in gebruik |url=https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ddd:010628469:mpeg21:a0042 |work= Nederlands Dagblad | language=Dutch|location= |access-date=}} As a result, the Netherlands was responsible for the main propulsion, the gearboxes and propellers. France delivered the mine countermeasure and electronics systems, while Belgium build the remaining electronics and mechanic installations.
The construction of the Alkmaar class started in 1979 at the shipyard of Van der Giessen-De Noord in Alblasserdam.Roetering (1997), p. 148. The ships were made from polyester, which required new construction methods in comparison to the previous mine countermeasure vessels that were built at the shipyard.{{cite web |url=https://marineschepen.nl/schepen/alkmaar.html |title= Alkmaarklasse mijnenjagers |author= |date=14 March 2023 |website=Marineschepen.nl |language=Dutch}} As a result, Van der Giessen-De Noord invested 42 million Dutch guilders to build a new dedicated production hall that had a specific climate indoors and allowed serial construction in the same way as for aircraft production.Woudstra (1982), p. 151. Inside the production hall there was an assembly line that contained four stations, with each ship staying around 21 weeks at a station before moving to the next.{{cite news |author= Henk Knoop |date=10 September 1983|title= In schone "kraamkamer" bouwt jonge ploeg vijftien polyester marineschepen: Oude werf levert modernste mijnenjagers |url=https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ddd:011205697:mpeg21:a0979 |work= De Telegraaf | language=Dutch|location= |access-date=}} Besides a new hall and tools, the shipyard also had to train personnel to be able to handle fiberglass and fiberglass sheets, which were used to construct the polyester ships. The construction of the 15 minehunters are estimated to have cost a total of 1.3 billion Dutch guilders.
=Mine countermeasure systems=
To hunt mines the Alkmaar class was equipped with the French DUBM 21B sonar, which was used to detect and classify mines, a Racal Decca 1229 radar and an EVEC plotting system.{{cite web |url=https://navyrecognition.com/index.php/naval-news/naval-news-archive/2021/october/10930-netherlands-agrees-possible-transfer-of-m-class-frigates-and-alkmaar-class-minehunter-to-greece.html |title= Netherlands agrees possible transfer of 2 M-Class frigates and 6 Alkmaar-class Minehunters to Greece |author= |date= 31 October 2021|website= Navy Recognition |publisher= |access-date= |quote=}} The sonar had a range of almost one kilometer and allowed the ship to search for mines up to a depth of 80 meters underwater.{{cite news |author= |date=18 February 1984|title= Vaten landbouwgif nog niet boven water |url=https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ABCDDD:010820235:mpeg21:a0373 |work= Trouw | language=Dutch|location= |access-date=}}{{cite news |author= Henk Knoop |date=22 November 1984|title= Geheim Russisch wapen gesnapt in volle zee |url=https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ddd:011206026:mpeg21:a0298 |work= De Telegraaf | language=Dutch|location= |access-date=}} In addition, each ship was equipped with two Poisson Auto-Propulsé (PAP) type 104 submarine drones that were used for mine disposal.Raven (1988), p. 140. This PAP 104 wire guided drone had a television camera aboard for observation and could be fitted out with explosives to destroy mines from a safe distance.Woudstra (1982), pp. 146-147.
=Armament=
The Alkmaar class had as armament a single 20 mm machine gun.
=Propulsion=
The minehunters of the Alkmaar class are equipped with a Brons-Werkspoor A-RUB 215 V12 diesel engine that can produce 1900 bhp.Gardiner, Chumbley and Budzbon (1995), p. 283.{{cite magazine | author= |date=1983 |title= The XVth CIMAC and Rudolf Diesel |magazine=Schip en Werf |volume=50|issue=12|location=Rotterdam |publisher=Wyt & Zonen |pages=151-152}} This non magnetic diesel engine was produced by Brons-Industrie and a development of the earlier Werkspoor RUB 215 diesel engine.Wesselo (1985), p. 175.{{cite web |url= https://www.rdm-archief.nl/RDM-NB/320-S&W-VanDenPol.pdf |title= A Meditation on the Diesel engine in relation to the Royal Netherlands Navy |author= E. van den Pol |date=1981|website= RDM-archief |publisher= Schip en Werf |pages=177-178}} The Brons-Werkspoor A-RUB 215 V12 diesel engine can drive the two active screws of the minehunters to a maximum speed of 15 knots. Besides the two screws, the minehunters also have a bow thruster.
Service history
Between 1987 and 1989 Maassluis, Hellevoetsluis and Urk were active in the Persian Gulf as part of a Western European Union (WEU) mine clearing operation and placed under Belgian command.Schoonoord (2012), p. 245.
In 1990 Alkmaar and Zierikzee took part in the exercise Safe Pass at the west coast of America.Roetering (1997), p.153.
In 2024 Willemstad, Makkum and Zierikzee took part in BALTOPS alongside other naval ships of the Royal Netherlands Navy.{{cite web |url= https://swzmaritime.nl/news/2024/06/12/seven-dutch-naval-vessels-partake-in-nato-exercise/ |title= Seven Dutch naval vessels partake in NATO exercise |author= Mariska Buitendijk |date=12 June 2024|website= SWZ|Maritime }}
Ships in class
The ships of the Alkmaar class are named after medium-sized Dutch municipalities that played a role in the Eighty Years' War and can also be accessed by these ships.{{cite news |author= |date=28 February 1983|title= Op werf in Alblasserdam:Mijnenvegers Delfzijl en Dordrecht gedoopt |url=https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ddd:011010647:mpeg21:a0041 |work= Nieuwsblad van het Noorden | language=Dutch|location= |access-date=}}
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" |
| +Alkmaar class construction datavan Amstel (1991), pp. 80-81. |
| scope="col" | Pennant no.
! scope="col" | Name ! scope="col" | Builder ! scope="col" | {{nowrap|Laid down}} ! scope="col" | Launched ! scope="col" | Commissioned ! scope="col" | Decommissioned ! scope="col" | Fate |
|---|
| scope="row" | M 850
| {{HNLMS|Alkmaar|M850|2}} | rowspan=15 align=left|Van der Giessen-De Noord | 30 January 1979 | 2 May 1982 | 28 May 1983 | 2000 | Sold to Latvia in 2007 |
| scope="row" | M 851
| {{HNLMS|Delfzijl|M851|2}} | 29 May 1980 | 30 October 1982 | 17 August 1983 | 2000 | Sold to Latvia in 2007 |
| scope="row" | M 852
| {{HNLMS|Dordrecht|M852|2}} | 5 January 1981 | 18 February 1983 | 16 November 1983 | 2000 | Sold to Latvia in 2007 |
| scope="row" | M 853
| {{HNLMS|Haarlem|M853|2}} | 16 June 1981 | 6 May 1983 | 12 January 1984 | 2011 |
| scope="row" | M 854
| {{HNLMS|Harlingen|M854|2}} | 30 November 1981 | 1 July 1983 | 12 April 1984 | 2000 | Sold to Latvia in 2007 |
| scope="row" | M 855
| {{HNLMS|Scheveningen|M855|2}} | 24 May 1982 | 2 December 1983 | 18 July 1984 | 2002 | Sold to Latvia in 2007 |
| scope="row" | M 856
| {{HNLMS|Maassluis|M856|2}} | 7 November 1982 | 27 April 1984 | 12 December 1984 | 2011 |Sold to Bulgaria in 2019{{cite web |url=https://marineschepen.nl/nieuws/Bulgarije-koopt-twee-Nederlandse-mijnenjagers-111119.html |title= Bulgarije koopt twee Nederlandse mijnenjagers |author= Jaime Karremann |date=11 November 2019 |website= Marineschepen.nl |language=Dutch}}{{cite web |url=https://marineschepen.nl/nieuws/Oude-mijnenjagers-onderweg-naar-Bulgarije-070920.html |title= Verkochte mijnenjagers onderweg naar Bulgarije |author= Jaime Karremann |date=7 September 2020 |website= Marineschepen.nl |publisher= |access-date= |quote=}} |
| scope="row" | M 857
| {{HNLMS|Makkum|M857|2}} | 28 February 1983 | 27 September 1984 | 8 May 1985 |
| scope="row" | M 858
| {{HNLMS|Middelburg|M858|2}} | 11 July 1983 | 18 February 1985 | 10 December 1986 | 2011 |
| scope="row" | M 859
| {{HNLMS|Hellevoetsluis|M859|2}} | 12 December 1983 | 18 July 1985 | 20 February 1987 | 2011 | Sold to Bulgaria in 2019{{cite web |url=https://www.navyrecognition.com/index.php/news/defence-news/2019/november/7690-netherlands-sold-2-tripartite-class-mine-hunter-to-bulgaria.html |title= Netherlands sold 2 Tripartite class mine hunter to Bulgaria |author= |date=15 November 2019 |website= Navy Recognition |publisher= |access-date= |quote=}} |
| scope="row" | M 860
| {{HNLMS|Schiedam|M860|2}} | 7 May 1984 | 12 December 1985 | 9 July 1986 | | |
| scope="row" | M 861
| {{HNLMS|Urk|M861|2}} | 1 October 1984 | 2 May 1986 | 10 December 1986 | |
| scope="row" | M 862
| {{HNLMS|Zierikzee|M862|2}} | 25 February 1985 | 1 October 1986 | 7 May 1987 | | |
| scope="row" | M 863
| {{HNLMS|Vlaardingen|M863|2}} | 5 May 1986 | 6 August 1988 | 15 March 1989 |
| scope="row" | M 864
| {{HNLMS|Willemstad|M864|2}} | 6 October 1986 | 27 January 1989 | 20 September 1989 | | |
Export
=Ukraine=
In March 2023 it was reported that the Netherlands would donate two Alkmaar-class minehunters to Ukraine.{{cite web |url=https://nos.nl/artikel/2467442-nederland-belooft-oekraine-mijnenjagers-droneradars-en-brugslagvaartuig |title= Nederland belooft Oekraïne mijnenjagers, droneradars en brugslagvaartuig |author= |date=14 March 2023|website= NOS |language=Dutch |publisher= |access-date= |quote=}}{{cite web |url=https://www.defensie.nl/onderwerpen/oostflank-navo-gebied/militaire-steun-aan-oekraine |title= Militaire steun aan Oekraïne |author= |date=|website= Ministerie van Defensie |language=Dutch |publisher= |access-date= |quote=}} The transfer of these ships would most likely start from 2025.{{cite web |url=https://www.nu.nl/spanningen-oekraine/6255266/nederland-levert-mijnenjagers-en-ander-militair-materiaal-aan-oekraine.html |title= Nederland levert mijnenjagers en ander militair materiaal aan Oekraïne |author= |date=14 March 2023|website= NU.nl |language=Dutch |publisher= |access-date= |quote=}}{{cite web |url=https://marineschepen.nl/nieuws/Mijnenjagers-worden-geschonken-aan-Oekraine-140323.html |title= Nederland gaat mijnenjagers aan Oekraïne schenken |author= Jaime Karremann |date=14 March 2023|website= Marineschepen.nl |language=Dutch |publisher= |access-date= |quote=}}
Notes
=Citations=
{{reflist}}
References
- {{cite book |editor-last=Raven |editor-first=G.J.A. |date=1988 |title=De kroon op het anker: 175 jaar Koninklijke Marine |language=Dutch|edition= |url= |location=Amsterdam |publisher=De Bataafsche Leeuw |page= |isbn=90-6707-200-1}}
- {{cite book |editor-last=Roetering |editor-first=B. |date=1997 |title=Mijnendienst 1907-1997 90 jaar: feiten, verhalen en anekdotes uit het negentigjarig bestaan van de Mijnendienst van de Koninklijke Marine |language=Dutch|edition= |url= |location= |publisher=Roetering|page= |isbn=90-90-10528-X}}
- {{cite book |last=Schoonoord |first=D.C.L. |date=2012 |title=Pugno pro patria: de Koninklijke Marine tijdens de Koude Oorlog |language=Dutch|edition= |url= |location=Franeker |publisher=Van Wijnen |page= |isbn=978-90-5194-455-6}}
- {{cite book |last=van Amstel |first=W.H.E. |date=1991 |title=De schepen van de Koninklijke Marine vanaf 1945 |language=Dutch|edition= |url= |location=Alkmaar |publisher=De Alk |page= |isbn=90-6013-997-6}}
- {{cite book |last=Woudstra |first=F.G.A. |date=1982 |title=Onze Koninklijke Marine |language=Dutch|edition= |url= |location=Alkmaar |publisher=De Alk |page= |isbn=90-6013-915-1}}
- {{cite book |editor-last1=Gardiner |editor-first1=Robert |editor-last2=Chumbley |editor-first2=Stephen |editor-last3=Budzbon |editor-first3=Przemysław |date=1995 |title=Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1947–1995 |location=Annapolis |publisher=Naval Institute Press |isbn=1-55750-132-7}}
- {{cite magazine |last=Wesselo |first=J.H. |date=1985 |title= Diesel engine developments in the Netherlands |magazine=Schip en Werf |volume=52|issue=11|location=Rotterdam |publisher=Wyt & Zonen |pages=175-176}}
{{Post1945DutchShips}}