Between 1985 and 1995, Dutch shipbuilder Damen Scheide Naval Shipbuilding constructed eight frigate warships to the Karel Doorman-class standard. These were commissioned from 1991 into 1995 and went on to serve the navies of the Netherlands, Belgium, Chile, and Portugal with the class still in service today (2021). The design was born from a 1970s Dutch need to succeed an aging line of Roofdier-class frigates during the Cold War period - six of these warships were built and operated since the mid-1950s.
Against this backdrop, the Karel Doorman-class was born and construction of the ship types was to be had locally in the Netherlands. The project evolved throughout the 1980s before finalization and building began of these multi-role warships. The class was eventually made up of Karel Doorman (F827), Willem van der Zaan (F829), Tjerk Hiddes (F830), Vam Amstrl (F831), Abraham van der Hulst (F832), Van Nes (F833), Van Galen (F834), and Van Spejik (F828). Just two remain in active service with the Dutch Navy today - F831 and F828 - with the rest of the lot having been sold off to allies Belgium (F827, F829), Portugal (F833, F834), and Chile (F830, F832).
As multi-mission / multi-role platforms, the Doorman-class would be equipped with surface-to-air, surface-to-surface, and anti-submarine capabilities to allow the ships to undertake virtually any at-sea sortie including deterrence, security, convoy support, submarine-hunting, and general attack.
Beyond their multi-mission load out, the class was given enhanced Nuclear-Biological-Chemical (NBC) protection to allow it to operate in contaminated areas in the event of nuclear war against the Soviet Union. There was also attention paid in reducing the ship's radar and heat signature at range to further enhance survivability in the modern battlefield environment.
Power was from 2 x Rolls-Royce Spey 1A series gas turbines offering 16,700 horsepower to 2 x Shafts. 2 x Stork-Werkspoor diesel units provided 4,895 horsepower to the same arrangement. In all, the ship could make headway at 30 knots.
Aboard was a crew of 154 and the vessel was outfitted with a plethora of sensors and processing systems including long-range 3D surveillance radar, active phased array for surface target tracking, and special tracking and illumination radar systems. Over the stern section of the hull was a hangar/flight deck combination center allowing for the launching and recovery of a single medium-lift, navalized helicopter (typically Westland Lynx).
The armament consisted of 1 x 76mm OTO Melara turreted deck gun, 16 x RIM-7 "Sea Sparrow" medium-range surface-to-air missiles with 8 x "Harpoon" anti-ship missiles, 1 x "Goalkeeper" Close-In Weapon System (CIWS), 2 x Mark 46 twin torpedo tubes, and up to 6 x 7.62mm medium machine guns. All this was intended to cover the warship against any threat of the day.
The ships took part in NATO exercises in European waters to better train crews in joint operations against a modern foe and served jointly with American forces in anti-drug operations across the Caribbean. In the early 1990s, the type served with coalition forces during Operation Desert Storm in the Persian Gulf theater.
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HNLMS Karel Doorman (F827); HNLMS Willem van der Zaan (F829); HNLMS Tjerk Hiddes (F830); HNLMS Van Amstel (F831); HNLMS Abraham van der Hulst (F832); HNLMS Van Nes (F833); HNLMS Van Galen (F834); HNLMS Van Spejik (F828)
Belgium (as Leopold I since 2005); Netherlands
(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)
✓Offshore Bombardment
Offshore bombardment / attack of surface targets / areas primarily through onboard ballistic weaponry.
✓Land-Attack
Offshore strike of surface targets primarily through onboard missile / rocket weaponry.
✓Maritime Patrol
Active patroling of vital waterways and maritime areas; can also serve as local deterrence against airborne and seaborne threats.
✓Airspace Denial / Deterrence
Neutralization or deterrence of airborne elements through onboard ballistic of missile weaponry.
✓Fleet Support
Serving in support (either firepower or material) of the main surface fleet in Blue Water environments.
Length
401.0 ft 122.22 m
Beam
47.0 ft 14.33 m
Draught
20.0 ft 6.10 m
Displacement
3,350 tons
Installed Power:
2 x Rolls-Royce Spey 1A gas turbines developing 16,700 horsepower with 2 x Stork-Werkspoor marine diesels developing 4,895 horsepower to 2 x Shafts under stern.
Surface Speed
30.0 kts (34.5 mph)
Range
5,040 nm (5,800 mi | 9,334 km)
kts = knots | mph = miles-per-hour | nm = nautical miles | mi = miles | km = kilometers
1 kts = 1.15 mph | 1 nm = 1.15 mi | 1 nm = 1.85 km
1 x 76mm OTO Melara turreted deck gun.
16 x RIM-7 "Sea sparrow" surface-to-air missiles in Vertical Launch System (VLS).
8 x "Harpoon" anti-ship missiles in two quadruple launchers at midships.
1 x "Goalkeeper" Close-In Weapon System (CIWS).
2 x Mark 46 twin torpedo tubes.
2 to 6 x 7.62mm medium machine guns.
Supported Types
(Not all weapon types may be represented in the showcase above)
1 x Westland Lynx (or similar) medium-lift navy helicopter supported through hangar/helipad combination section over the stern.
Ribbon graphics not necessarily indicative of actual historical campaign ribbons. Ribbons are clickable to their respective naval campaigns / operations / periods.
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Karel Doorman F827 as Leopold I of the Belgian Navy; DVIDShub.net
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Belgium (as Leopold I since 2005); Netherlands
