Kortenaer-class frigate

The Kortenaer class was a class of anti-submarine frigates of the Royal Netherlands Navy. As some of the other frigates of the 1970s and 1980s, they featured a COGOG (combined gas or gas) propulsion system with separate cruise and sprint gas turbines. Ten were built by de Schelde in Vlissingen and two by Wilton-Fijenoord in Schiedam between 1978 and 1982. Only 10 served with the Royal Netherlands Navy: two were sold to Greece while still under construction and replaced by two Jacob van Heemskerck-class frigates which are basically an anti-air warfare (AAW) variant of the Kortenaer class. The Greek frigates were renamed the Elli class.

Kortenaer
Class overview
Name: Kortenaer class
Operators:
Preceded by: Van Speijk class
Succeeded by: Karel Doorman class
Subclasses:
Built: 1975–1982
In commission: 1978–2003
Completed: 10
General characteristics
Type: Frigate
Displacement:
  • 3,500 long tons (3,600 t) standard
  • 3,800 long tons (3,900 t) full load
Length: 130 m (426 ft 6 in)
Beam: 14.4 m (47 ft 3 in)
Draft: 4.4 m (14 ft 5 in)
Propulsion:
Speed:
  • 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) cruise
  • 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph) maximum
Endurance: 4,700 nautical miles at 16 knots (8,700 km at 30 km/h)
Complement: 176–196
Armament:
Aircraft carried: 2 × Sea Lynx helicopters (1 in peace-time)

Eight similar ships were built by Germany during the same period as the Bremen class.

History

Authorised in the late 1960s, the 'Kortenaer' class was designed to replace older ASW vessels in service in the Dutch navy. Propulsion and machinery were based on gas turbines, giving the maneuverability and speed needed when hunting fast nuclear-powered Soviet submarines.

These frigates did not receive substantial upgrades during their careers.

Service

By 2003 all ships were transferred to the navies of Greece and the United Arab Emirates.

In Dutch service the frigates were armed with a Goalkeeper CIWS placed on top of the helicopter hangar. In Greek service the Goalkeepers were replaced with Phalanx CIWS due to high maintenance costs.

Both ships of the United Arab Emirates, Al Emirat and Abu Dhabi are being converted into a super luxury Giga yachts known as Swift 141 (launched as Yas) and Swift 135.[1]

Two ships, Elli and Limnos, were built for the Greek Navy in 1981, they are referred to as the Elli-class frigates by the Hellenic Navy and have different equipment and weapons from the Dutch ships.

The Imperial Iranian Navy ordered eight modified ships from Royal Schelde but the contract was canceled after the Iranian Revolution.

Ships in the class

The ships were named after Dutch captains and admirals:

Ship Pennant No. Named after Builder Laid down Launched Commissioned Decommissioned Status
Kortenaer F807 Egbert Bartholomeusz Kortenaer Royal Schelde 8 April 1975 18 December 1976 26 October 1978 1997 Sold to the  Hellenic Navy as F462 Kountouriotes (Κουντουριώτης)
Callenburgh F808 Gerard Callenburgh 2 September 1975 26 March 1977 26 July 1979 1994 Sold to the  Hellenic Navy as F459 Adrias (Αδρίας)
Van Kinsbergen F809 Jan Hendrik van Kinsbergen 2 September 1975 16 April 1977 24 April 1980 1995 Sold to the  Hellenic Navy as F461 Navarinon (Ναυαρίνον)
Banckert F810 Joost Banckert 25 February 1976 30 September 1978 29 October 1980 1993 Sold to the  Hellenic Navy as F460 Aigaion (Αιγαίον)
Piet Hein F811 Piet Pieterszoon Hein 28 April 1977 3 June 1978 14 April 1981 1998 Sold to the  United Arab Emirates as Al Emirat
Abraham Crijnssen F816 Abraham Crijnssen 25 October 1978 16 May 1981 6 January 1983 1997 Sold to the  United Arab Emirates as Abu Dhabi
Philips van Almonde F823 Philips van Almonde Wilton-Fijenoord 1 October 1977 11 August 1979 2 December 1981 2002 Sold to the  Hellenic Navy as F465 Themistoklis (Θεμιστοκλής )
Bloys van Treslong F824 Willem Bloys van Treslong 5 May 1978 15 November 1980 25 November 1982 2003 Sold to the  Hellenic Navy as F466 Nikiforos Fokas
Jan van Brakel F825 Jan van Brakel Royal Schelde 16 November 1979 16 May 1981 14 April 1983 2001 Sold to the  Hellenic Navy as F464 Kanaris (Κανάρης)
Pieter Florisz (ex-Willem van der Zaan) F826 Pieter Florisse 2 January 21, 1981 8 May 1982 1 October 1983 Sold to the  Hellenic Navy as F463 Bouboulina (Μπουμπουλίνα), decommissioned in 2013.

See also

References
  1. "Setting course for luxury". The National. 2008-11-21. Archived from the original on May 21, 2011. Retrieved 2008-11-28.

Bibliography
  • Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1947-1995
  • W.H.E., van Amstel (1991). De schepen van de Koninklijke Marine vanaf 1945. Alkmaar: De Alk. ISBN 9060139976.
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