Kongsberg Maritime will deliver four ship sets of its controllable pitch propeller systems and associated equipment, including shaft lines, to Damen Naval. Damen Naval will install the systems in four anti-submarine warfare (ASW) frigates. This is the second collaboration between the two companies in the last 18 months, following a similar contract for the German Navy’s F126 frigates in September 2022.
The new ASW frigates are being built for the Netherlands and Belgium, where they will replace the current Karel Doorman-class multi-purpose frigates. They can be used for various tasks, but their main task is anti-submarine warfare. The ships will have a hybrid diesel-electric drive and are designed to operate as quietly as possible. According to Damen Naval, the first ship will be delivered in 2028. In addition to the shaft lines, Kongsberg is also supplying other associated equipment such as rotor blades, hubcaps and wheel hubs.
“It’s great news that Kongsberg Maritime is also involved in the ASWF project,” said Richard Keulen, Director Corporate Strategy and Innovation at Damen Naval. “We have a long-standing relationship with the company and it is a good example of the excellent cooperation between the Dutch and Swedish naval shipbuilding industries.” Björn ten Eicken, Vice President – Naval at Kongsberg Maritime, added: “The propulsion system for the new frigates has been optimized to meet the customers’ stringent requirements, especially in terms of noise signature, which is a crucial factor in anti-submarine warfare.”
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