Damen Naval Selects Kongsberg Maritime Sweden for ASW-Frigate Propulsion Systems

Damen Naval, a division of Damen Shipyards Group, has awarded a contract to Kongsberg Maritime Sweden to supply controllable pitch propellers and shaft lines for four Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) frigates destined for the Netherlands and Belgium. Under the terms of the agreement, Kongsberg will provide four shipsets of its controllable pitch propeller systems along with associated equipment such as blades, hubcaps, hubs, and shaft lines.

These ASW frigates, set to replace the existing Karel Doorman-class multi-purpose frigates, will be equipped for a diverse range of missions, with anti-submarine warfare as their primary focus. Featuring hybrid diesel-electric propulsion, the vessels are designed for minimal noise emission, crucial for anti-submarine operations.

This collaboration marks the second partnership between Damen Naval and Kongsberg Maritime in the past 18 months, following a similar contract signed in September 2022 for the German navy’s F126 frigates.

Richard Keulen, Director of Corporate Strategy and Innovation at Damen Naval, expressed satisfaction with the continued collaboration, citing the longstanding relationship between the companies and the successful cooperation between the Dutch and Swedish naval shipbuilding industries.

Björn ten Eicken, Vice President – Naval at Kongsberg Maritime, highlighted the company’s pride in being selected as a partner for this significant Damen Naval frigate program. He emphasised the optimisation of the propulsion system to meet stringent mission requirements, particularly in terms of noise signature, critical for effective anti-submarine warfare operations.

The ASW-frigate project is being executed in close cooperation with the Dutch Ministry of Defence, with certain tasks to be carried out by the Ministry itself. The hulls will be constructed in Romania before undergoing further completion in Vlissingen. Damen Naval anticipates delivering the first ship in 2028.