Ukraine to receive Alkmaar-class minesweeper from the Netherlands

Ukraine will receive from the Netherlands the Zr.Ms. Makkum Alkmaar-class minesweeper. In the Navy, the ship will be named “Henichesk”.

The minesweeper will be named after the ship lost during a combat mission in June 2022 near the Kinburn Spit, the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine reported.

Ukrainian military personnel are already undergoing training directly on board the minesweeper. A significant part of the sailors have real combat experience, including naval.

The crew is mastering the work with various types of underwater drones to search, identify and neutralize mines.

The main task of the Alkmaar-class mine-clearing minesweepers is to ensure the safety of the sea, coastal waters and harbor mouths from sea mines, as well as protect naval formations in mine-hazardous areas.

These vessels can also be used to support land operations from the sea, in particular to demine coastal strips before a landing from the sea. They can also be used to search for sunken ships and lost containers that pose a threat to shipping.

Alkmaar-class minesweepers have the following characteristics:

• crew: 28–38 people;

• displacement: 543 t;

• length: 51.5 m;

• width: 8.9 m;

• draft: 3.8 m;

• maximum speed: 13 knots (~ 24 km/h).

The power plant includes a diesel engine for long-distance crossings, as well as a system of auxiliary engines that provide precise maneuvering during mine countermeasures operations.

The ships are equipped with a hull mounted sonar station (Hull Mounted Sonar), designed to detect underwater objects, including mines. In difficult hydrological conditions, remotely operated underwater vehicles and towed or variable-depth observation systems are additionally used, allowing to clarify the characteristics of detected objects.

The command and information system provides integration of data from sensors, control of mine countermeasures and coordination of crew actions.

Alkmaar minesweepers have light small arms, in particular large-caliber machine guns, for self-defense. The main means of mine clearance are remotely operated underwater vehicles (ROVs), in particular the SeaFox type. They are used to identify underwater objects and, in case of confirmation of the threat, their destruction using an explosive charge delivered directly to the target.

Divers can also be involved to perform special demolition work.

The hull of the ships is made of non-magnetic materials (polyester-based fiberglass), which minimizes the risk of mines with magnetic detonators being triggered. The superstructure is made of light alloys.

“The use of such materials is a standard solution for mine-clearing ships, since steel hulls create a magnetic field that can activate mine explosive devices,” the ministry said.

It should be noted that “Henichesk” will be the fifth ship among those that Ukraine will receive. The previous four were transferred by the United Kingdom, Belgium and the Netherlands: “Cherkasy”, “Chernihiv”, (Sandown class) “Mariupol” and “Melitopol” (Alkmaar class).

It is planned that the new ship will take part in the Sea Breeze exercises in 2027. For now, all five ships will be based in the United Kingdom. After the end of the war, they will take part in mine clearance and significantly strengthen the capabilities of the Ukrainian Navy.

Recall that the destruction of “Genichesk” became known in August 2022. The minesweeper was sunk by the invaders – it was hit by cruise missiles launched from occupied Crimea.