HNLMS Den Helder

HNLMS Den Helder is a new replenishment oiler under construction for the Royal Netherlands Navy. Also known as the Combat Support Ship (CSS), Den Helder is planned to fill the gap of replenishment at sea that was left after HNLMS Amsterdam was sold to Peru in 2014.

Class overview
NameDen Helder class
BuildersDamen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding Damen Shipyards Galați
Operators Royal Netherlands Navy
Preceded byHNLMS Amsterdam
Cost€374 million (2019)
Built2020–present[1][2]
Planned1
Building1
Completed0
Active0
History
Netherlands
NameDen Helder[3][4]
NamesakeCity of Den Helder
Awarded19 February 2020[5][6][7]
BuilderDamen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding Damen Shipyards Galați
Cost€374 million (2019)
Yard number312421000 / 421000[1]
Laid down2 June 2021[8]
LaunchedOctober 2022
CompletedPlanned for 2024
CommissionedPlanned for 2025
HomeportDen Helder
IdentificationPennant number: A834
StatusFitting out[1][2][9]
Badge
General characteristics
TypeReplenishment oiler
Displacement20,000 t (19,684 long tons)
Length179.5 m (588 ft 11 in) o/a
Beam22 m (72 ft 2 in)
Draught8 m (26 ft 3 in)
Propulsion4 × Wärtsila 31
Speed20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Boats & landing
craft carried		2 × LCVPs in davits
Complement75
Sensors and
processing systems
  • Thales NS100 Air & Surface radar
  • Thales Pharos-radar
Armament
Aircraft carried2 NH-90 (medium sized helicopters)

History

The sale of HNLMS Amsterdam in 2014 left a gap in the navy's ability to replenish its own ships and those of allies. The successor of HNLMS Zuiderkruis, HNLMS Karel Doorman, was not capable enough as it was not built as a full-fledged replenishment oiler. In 2017 a study started to look at the possibility of a new tanker to fulfill this task.[10]

In 2019 the so called D-letter, the final process before the contract can be signed, was sent to the Tweede Kamer for approval.[11][12][13][14] With the contract signing following two months later on the bridge of HNLMS Karel Doorman.[5][6]

The ship carries two 40-ton cranes and can carry up to 24 sea containers. It can dispense 7,600 cubic metres (2,000,000 US gal; 1,700,000 imp gal; 7,600,000 L) of diesel (including for its own use), 1,000 m3 (260,000 US gal; 220,000 imp gal; 1,000,000 L) of helicopter fuel (including for its own use), 226 m3 (60,000 US gal; 50,000 imp gal; 226,000 L) of drinking water and 434 tons of other goods, including ammunition. The vessel can accommodate up to two NH-90 helicopters or, alternatively, one NH-90 and two UAVs. It carries two LCVPs (Landing Craft Vehicle Personnel) and 2 FRISC (Fast Raiding Intercepting Special Forces Craft). The ship's infirmary operates as a Role 2 hospital (providing limited hospital capability, including surgery).[15]

Naming

The name was revealed in a ceremony in honor of the 10.000 model, which was the new CSS, at MARIN. In attendance were the Commander of the Royal Netherlands Navy: Rob Kramer, the State Secretary for Defence: Barbara Visser, the State Secretary for Economic Affairs and Climate Policy: Mona Keijzer and the CEO of Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding.[3][4]

It is the first time a vessel is named after Den Helder.

Construction
Launch of hull sections 2 & 3

The first steel was cut in a ceremony on 2 December 2020 at the Damen yard in Galați. On 2 June Damen Shipyards Galați has performed the keel-laying ceremony on the Combat Support Ship (CSS) Den Helder. The keel-laying ceremony was performed by the Director Defence Material Organisation (DMO), vice admiral Arie Jan de Waard and vice admiral Rob Kramer, Commander Royal Netherlands Navy (RNLN).[16] The ship was formally laid down on 2 June 2021.[17] The first major section, measuring 90 m (300 ft), of the new vessel was launched in Galați on 11 April 2022.[18] The assembled ship was floated and moved to another part of the building dock in October 2022 with work expected to continue through 2023. Sea trials are anticipated in early 2024.[9][19]

In October 2023 it was reported that Damen had delivered an virtual reality version of HNLMS Den Helder to Command Materiel and IT, which can be used to train the new crew.[20] The same month the diesel generators were started for the first time aboard the ship.[21] In October 2023 DXC delivered GDIT's VirtualShip version of Den Helder for bridge crew training at Nieuwe Haven.

Similar ships

See also

References
  1. "Eindelijk weer Nederlands marineschip in aanbouw: de Den Helder" (in Dutch). marineschepen.nl. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  2. "Eerste staal voor Zr.Ms. Den Helder gesneden" (in Dutch). maritiemdenhelder.eu. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  3. "Combat support ship gaat Zr.Ms. Den Helder heten" (in Dutch). marineschepen.nl. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  4. "Nieuw marineschip krijgt de naam Zr.Ms. Den Helder" (in Dutch). denheldersdagblad.nl. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  5. "Contract Combat Support Ship ondertekend" (in Dutch). marineschepen.nl. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  6. "Nieuw bevoorradingsschip marine Zr.Ms. Den Helder kan worden gebouwd" (in Dutch). nhnieuws.nl. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  7. "Bouw nieuw bevoorradingsschip wordt Nederlands feestje" (in Dutch). defensie.nl. 19 February 2020. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  8. "Damen Shipyards Galati lays keel of Royal Netherlands Navy's Combat Support Ship". 3 June 2021.
  9. "Damen "Launches" Royal Netherlands Navy's Combat Support Ship". Naval News. 25 October 2022. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
  10. "Marine werkt aan nieuw bevoorradingsschip" (in Dutch). marineschepen.nl. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  11. "Defensie en Damen bereiken overeenstemming over nieuw bevoorradingsschip" (in Dutch). marineschepen.nl. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  12. "Dutch Cabinet to Construct Combat Support Ship Zr.Ms. Den Helder". oceannews.com. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  13. "Dutch Cabinet Decides to Build Combat Support Ship Zr.Ms. Den Helder". oceannews.com. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  14. "Kabinet besluit tot bouw van Combat Support Ship Zr.Ms. Den Helder" (in Dutch). denhelderactueel.nl. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  15. "Combat support ship/ Bevoorradingsschip den Helder".
  16. White, Ryan. "Damen Shipyards Galati lays keel of Combat Support Ship Den Helder - Naval Post". Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  17. "Damen Shipyards Galati lays keel of Royal Netherlands Navy's Combat Support Ship". 3 June 2021.
  18. "Belangrijke mijlpaal bouw nieuw bevoorradingsschip Nederlandse marine" (in Dutch). marineschepen.nl. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  19. Saballa, Joe (27 October 2022). "Damen Shipyard Launches Netherlands' Future Combat Support Ship". Defense Post. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
  20. Habibic, Ajsa (5 October 2023). "Damen Naval presents full virtual reality version of Dutch combat support ship". Naval Today.
  21. Karremann, Jaime (14 October 2023). "Systemen bevoorradingsschip Den Helder voor het eerst opgestart". Marineschepen.nl (in Dutch).
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