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Displaying items by tag: De Zeven Provincien class frogate

The Dutch Navy's HNLMS De Ruyter (F804), one of four De Zeven Provinciën-class air-defence and command frigates (LCF) docked in Dublin Port this morning, writes Jehan Ashmore.
Displacing 6,050 tonnes the 144m frigate is on a weekend visit to the capital. She has a striking angular lines, this is due to her stealth design technology. Armament consists the bow-mounted Oto Breda 127 mm cannon, vertical launch systems for various missile types, a 'goalkeeper' rapid-fire gun, an Oerlikon 20mm machine gun and a Mk. 46 Torpedo weapon system. At the stern she can carry a Lynx or NH-90 helicopter.

The class have two roles, to command operations and deployment of the Royal Netherlands Navy, the Netherlands Maritime Force (NLMARFOR). In addition they are equipped for air-defence tasks and must be capable of providing protection for an entire fleet.

This dual-role task is the reason that the ships are known as air-defence and command frigates (LCF). The frigates all entered service between 2001-2005 and were built by the Royal Schelde Group, of Flushing, Netherlands. The design also involved participated from Spain and Germany.

Published in Navy

About the Endurance II Replica Project

An Irish project has been launched on the 150th anniversary of explorer Ernest Shackleton's birth, to build a replica of his ship, Endurance II, in County Kildare.

The project has high-profile patrons such as the Prince Albert II of Monaco, Alexandra Shackleton (Shackleton's granddaughter), and Richard Garriott, the President of the Explorer's Club.

The project is still at the concept stage, so the estimated cost of construction, which is expected to be around €14m, and the annual operational budget of €1.5m are not yet confirmed.

The project organisers are seeking $600,000 (€556,350) from 12 "founders," who will each contribute $50,000. The chairman of private investment firm Kilcullen Kapital Partners, Galway-born O’Coineen, bought the Business Post newspaper in 2018.