The Royal Belgian Navy

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The Royal Belgium Navy at the start of the Twilight War (1996)

Personnel: 4,418 personnel.
Naval Aviation: 3 Alouette III B helos. The Belgian Air Force operates 5 Sea King Mk48 helos for SAR duties.

4 Wielingen-class Type E71 Frigates
F 910 Wielingen; F 911 Westdiep; F 912 Wandelaar; F 913 Westhinder
Displacement of 2,283 tons. Speed of 25kts. Crew of 160.
Armament consists of two twin MM38 Exocet SSM launchers, one eight-cell NATO Sea Sparrow SAM launcher, one single 100mm Model 1968 Gun, one six barreled 375mm ASW Mortar, two single torpedo tubes. Extensive modernization has lowered the ships speed from their original 28kts. Intended to add Goalkeeper CIWS, but shortage of funds prevents this.

0 + 10 deep-sea minehunter/sweepers
Displacement of 610 tons. Speed of 15kts. Crew of 30. Armament consists of one single 20mm, two single 12.7mm HMGs. A joint project with Norway, Holland and Portugal. Has seen extensive delays and cost overruns.

10 Tripartite-class mine hunters
M 915 Aster; M 916 Bellis; M 917 Crocus; M 918 Dianthus; M 919 Fuchsia; M 920 Iris; M 921 Lobelia; M 922 Myosotis; M 923; Narcis; M 924 Primula
Displacement of 595 tons. Speed of 15kts. Crew of 49. Armament consists of one single 20mm AA Gun, two single 12.7mm HMGs. Class of mine hunters built in cooperation with the French and Dutch. Glass-reinforced plastic hull. Uses two remote controlled mine locators. Built with a decompression chamber to support mine clearance divers.

6 ex US Dash-class oceangoing minesweepers/mine hunters
M 902 J.E. van Haverbeke; M 903 A.F. Dufour; D 904 De Brouwer; M 906 Breydel; M 908 Georges Truffaut; M 909 Francois Bovesse
Displacement of 780 tons. Speed of 14kts. Crew of 72. Armament consists of one twin 12.7mm HMG. Fitted with remote-controlled mine hunting submersibles. Wooden hull. M 907 Artevelde stricken in 1985.

4 ex US Adjutant-class coastal minesweepers
M 929 Heist; M 930 Rochefort; M 932 Nieuwpoort; M 933 Koksijde
Displacement of 390 tons. Speed of 13.5kts. Crew of 48. Armament consists of one single 40mm Bofors. All slated for retirement in 1992.

1 Zinnia-class command & logistic support ship for mine countermeasures
A 961 Zinnia
Displacement of 2,685 tons. Speed of 18kts. Crew of 123. Armament consists of three single 40mm Bofors, one Alouette IIIB helo.

1 Godetia-class command & logistic support ship for mine countermeasures
A 960 Godetia
Displacement of 2,500 tons. Speed of 18kts. Crew of 95.
Armament consists of one single 40mm Bofors, two twin and two single 12.7mm HMGs. Can also act as oceanographic research ship. Formerly served as the Royal Yacht.

Source is the “Combat Fleets of the World: 1993”