Air-defence and Command Frigate (LCF)

The Royal Netherlands Navy has 4 De Zeven Provinciën-class air-defence and command frigates (LCF): HNLMS De Ruyter, HNLMS De Zeven Provinciën, HNLMS Evertsen and HNLMS Tromp. Those ships went into service in the period 2001-2005.

Specifications

Water displacement 6,050 tonnes
Dimensions (LxW) 144 m x 17 m (greatest dimension)
Draught 7 m
Speed 30 knots
Propulsion 2 x Wärtsilä 16 V26 dieselmotoren (13,600 hp total), 2 x Rolls Royce Spey SM 1A gas turbines (52,300 hp total)
Ship's company 174 (202 including staff)
Radarsystem SMART-L radar
Armament Oto Breda 127 mm cannon, Vertical Launch System (VLS) Mk 41 for Enhanced Sea Sparrow Missile and Standard Missile, Harpoon Missile, Goalkeeper (rapid-fire gun), Mk. 46 Torpedo weapon system, Lynx or NH-90 helicopter
In use with Royal Netherlands Navy

Command role

The frigates of the De Zeven Provinciën class have two important roles. They have a command role in facilitating the operations of the deployable and operational staff of the Royal Netherlands Navy, the Netherlands Maritime Force (NLMARFOR).

Air-defence role

They are also equpped for air-defence tasks. They must be capable of providing protection for an entire fleet. The dual-role tasking is the reason that the ships are known as air-defence and command frigates.

Stealth technologies

The most striking characteristic of the air-defence and command frigates (LCF) is that they use stealth technology. That can be seen by the sharp lines and angular appearance. The high degree of automation of the ships' systems means that the LCFs, in spite of their large size, can be operated by a ship's company of 202 people, including staff.

The ships were built by the Royal Schelde Group, of Flushing, Netherlands. Spain and Germany also participated during the design stage.