HNLMS Van Amstel (F831)

HNLMS Van Amstel (F831) is a ship of the Karel Doorman-class of multi-purpose frigates (also known as "M-fregat" class) of the Royal Netherlands Navy. Built by the shipyard Koninklijke Schelde Groep in Vlissingen. The ship is named after the Dutch Captain Jan van Amstel.

HNLMS Van Amstel (F831)
HNLMS Van Amstel (F831)
History
Netherlands
NameHNLMS Van Amstel
NamesakeJan van Amstel
BuilderKoninklijke Schelde Groep, Vlissingen
Laid down3 May 1987
Launched19 May 1990
Commissioned27 May 1993
Identification
Statusin active service
Badge
General characteristics
Class and typeKarel Doorman-class frigate
Displacement3,300 tons
Length122 m (400 ft 3 in)
Beam14.4 m (47 ft 3 in)
Draught6.2 m (20 ft 4 in)
Propulsion
  • 2 Rolls-Royce (Spey 1A) 12,500 kW (16,700 hp) gas turbines
  • 2 Stork-Werkspoor 3,650 kW (4,895 hp) diesel engines
Speed
  • 29 knots (54 km/h; 33 mph) (gas turbines)
  • 21 knots (39 km/h; 24 mph) (diesels)
Range5,000 nmi (9,300 km; 5,800 mi) at 18 kn (33 km/h; 21 mph)
Endurance30 days
Complement154
Sensors and
processing systems
  • Thales Nederland LW-08 early warning radar
  • Thales Nederland SMART-S 3-D air-search
  • SeaWatcher 100 active phased array surface detection and tracking radar
  • Thales Gatekeeper
  • Staring Electro-Optic Ship Security System
  • Thales Scout surface search radar
  • 2 × Thales STIR-18 fire control radar
  • Decca 1609/9 navigation radar
  • PHS-36 active bow sonar
Electronic warfare
& decoys
Thales Vigile APX Radar Electronic Support Measures
Armament
Aircraft carriedNH90 NFH (as of 2013) helicopter

History

edit

1990s

edit

In 1995 the ship assisted in the response after Hurricane Luis at the island of Sint Maarten in the Netherlands Antilles.

2000s

edit

The ship was deployed in a multinational force in the Oman Sea in 2001/2002 in Operation Enduring Freedom.

In September 2005 the ship assisted in the Dutch response to Hurricane Katrina by sending its sailors ashore to southern Mississippi to distribute aid supplies to hurricane victims in conjunction with Mexican marines, U.S. Navy sailors, and U.S. Marines.[1][2]

2010s

edit

On 11 May 2012, Van Amstel apprehended 11 Somali pirates after the ship's Lynx helicopter sighted a suspicious fishing dhow towing two skiffs, 400 nautical miles (740 km; 460 mi) off the Somali coast. When the ship's boarding team approached the dhow, the team found 11 suspected pirates of Somali origin and a total of 17 hostages on board. After taking the suspected pirates to the Van Amstel, the boarding team found significant evidence that linked the 11 men to an armed attack on the motor tanker Super Lady a few days prior. The 17 hostages were freed. They were Iranian fishermen.[3]

In 2016, Van Amstel joined Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2).[4] That same year Van Amstel also rescued migrants in the Mediterranean Sea.[5]

In April 2017, Van Amstel seized nearly 700 kilograms (1,500 lb) of cocaine in two separate drug busts. The busts happened in waters between Curaçao and Colombia.[6]

From 26 June to 6 July 2018, Van Amstel participated in Exercise Dynamic Mongoose 2018 along with units from other nations.[7]

2020s

edit
 
Van Amstel on 23 May 2023

In May 2022, Van Amstel participated in the Mjølner exercise off Andøy Island, Norway.[8]

On 9 October 2022, Van Amstel along with HNLMS De Zeven Provinciën deployed to conduct drills with the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford.[9]

References

edit
  1. ^ "Photograph by Mark Wolfe taken on 09/12/2005 in Mississippi". fema.gov. Archived from the original on 2017-05-15.
  2. ^ "Photograph by Mark Wolfe taken on 09/12/2005 in Mississippi". fema.gov. Archived from the original on 2017-05-15.
  3. ^ "Somali Pirates Jailed by Seychelles Court". Marine Link. 4 October 2013. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
  4. ^ "Dutch and French ships assigned to NATO's SNMG2 for deployment in Aegean Sea". Naval Technology. 22 March 2016. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
  5. ^ Evert Brouwer (1 July 2016). "Fregat voert in korte tijd 4 keer reddingsactie uit". Defensiekrant (in Dutch). Defensie.nl.
  6. ^ Stickland, Katy (20 April 2017). "Dutch Navy seizes 700kg of cocaine in two busts in the Caribbean". YBW. Yachting & Boating World. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
  7. ^ Nilsen, Thomas (4 July 2018). "Photos from NATO's anti-submarine warfare exercise outside Harstad". The Independent Barents Observer. The Barents Observer. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
  8. ^ Edvarsen, Astri (10 May 2022). "Allied Maritime Sharpshooting Exercise Started Monday off Andøy Island, Norway". High North News. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
  9. ^ Karremann, Jaime (9 October 2022). "Van Amstel en De Zeven Provinciën gaan oefenen met nieuwste Amerikaanse carrier". Marine Schepen. Retrieved 10 October 2022.
edit