Belgian Naval Component

:"#if: the Royal Navy of Belgium|This article is about the Belgian Naval Component, which between 1831 and 1865 was known as the Royal Navy.|For #if: other Royal Navies|other Royal Navies|other uses, see ."Infobox Military Unit
unit_name=Naval Component of the Belgian Armed Forces


caption=The F930 "Leopold I", a Belgian Karel Doorman class frigate
Photo credit: Belgian Naval Component
dates=1831-1865: Royal Navy
1917-1927: Corps of Destroyers and Sailors
1939-1940: Naval Corps
1940-1946: Belgian Section, Royal Navy
1946-2002: Navy
2002-present: Naval Component
country=flagicon|Belgium Belgium
allegiance= NATO, WEU
branch=
type=
role=
size=2,400 personnel
2 frigates, 6 minehunters, 6 support vessels
command_structure=
garrison= Zeebrugge, Bruges, Ostend, Antwerp
garrison_label=
nickname=
patron=
motto=
colors=
colors_label=
march=
mascot=
equipment=Karel Doorman class frigate
Tripartite class minehunter
equipment_label=Ship classes
battles=
anniversaries=
decorations=
battle_honours=
commander1=Divisional Admiral Jean-Paul Robyns
commander1_label=Commander
notable_commanders=
identification_symbol=
identification_symbol_label=EnsignThe Naval Component ( _nl. Marinecomponent, _fr. Composante Maritime) of the Belgian Armed Forces, formerly the Belgian Navy, is the naval service of Belgium.

History

Early history

The Belgian Navy was created as the "Marine Royale" in 1831. This force has operated in various forms throughout Belgian history.

When after the Belgian Revolution, the country became independent in 1830, a Dutch squadron blocked the Scheldt estuarium. To deal with this threat the Belgian Congress ordered two brigantines to be built, which bore the names "Congrès" and "Les Quatre Journées". After the French army, led by Marshal of France Etienne Gérard, captured the citadel of Antwerp in 1832, the captured Dutch gun boats were pressed into Belgian service. In 1840 the Belgian government bought the schooner "Louise Marie" and in 1845 the brig "Duc de Brabant". In 1865, the Belgian government discarded its navy and pursued a minimalistic naval policy. This meant that at the outbreak of World War I, Belgium had no navy.

The War caused this policy to change and in 1917 a "Corps of Destroyers and Sailors" was created. The Belgian naval personnel served onboard French mine sweepers and provided the artillerymen for Belgian merchant ships. The Treaty of Versailles allocated Belgium 11 torpedo boats and 26 mine sweepers. Because of budgetary reasons, Belgium again abolished its navy. In 1939, against the looming threat of a new war with Germany, Belgium once again resurrected its navy as the "Naval Corps". This new navy lasted barely a year until the German invasion of May 1940.

During World War II many members of this naval corps, together with Belgian fishermen and merchant sailors escaped to England with the explicit wish of fighting the German occupiers. The Royal Navy took advantage of this opportunity to enlist the Belgians into separate groups of more or less entirely Belgian-manned ships. From 1940 to 1946, the Belgian Section of the British Royal Navy manned two corvettes, ("Buttercup" and "Godetia"), a squadron of MMS mine sweepers and three patrol boats ("Phrontis", "Electra" and "Kernot"). In 1946, Britain generously donated the ships (along with its crews) to Belgium to become the backbone of the new Belgian Navy.

Post-Cold War

In the beginning of the nineties, the end of the Cold War caused the Belgian government to restructure the Belgian Armed Forces in order to cope with the changed threats. This meant cutbacks and crimping the Armed Forces. With regards to the Belgian navy these cutbacks meant that one Wielingen class frigate was stricken and that three Tripartite class minehunters were sold to France. In 2002, the government decided to impose a "single structure" on the armed forces in which the independent Belgian Navy ceased to exist. The former Navy became the Belgium Naval Component (COMOPSNAV) of the Armed Forces; it is also called the "Marine". [The former term 'Zeemacht' in Dutch, 'Force Navale' in French, is in both languages once again referred to by the term 'Marine' which does not indicate an independent force.]

On July 20, 2005, the Belgian government decided to buy two of the remaining six Dutch M-class frigates to replace the two remaining frigates of the Wielingen class (Wielingen and Westdiep) currently still in service with the Belgian Navy, which in turn might be sold to Bulgaria. On December 21, 2005, the Dutch government sold the "Karel Doorman" (F827) and "Willem Van Der Zaan" (F829) to Belgium. The two ships were sold for about 250 million Euros. These two M-class frigates are expected to enter service with the Belgian Navy between 2007-2008, in which they will be renamed "Leopold I" and "Louise-Marie" before entering service.

In October 2005, the Wielingen class frigate "Wandelaar" was officially handed over to the Bulgarian Navy, who christened it as the "Drăzki". The country's government is right about to put an order for a second ship of the Wandelaar class together with a minesweeper, both second hand.

The current Commander of the Naval Component is Divisional Admiral Jean-Paul Robyns.

Mission

In times of crisis and war the Belgian Navy will manage, with the support of its allies, the crises rising from the infringements to the principles of International law and/or from the Humans right and exercise the Belgian sovereignty in the maritime zones where the Navy is qualified, defend the lines maritime of communication, main roads and allied, and protect the ports against any air, surface or underwater attack.

In times of peace the Belgian Navy has the following roles:
* To ensure the presence of Belgium at sea.
* To give a support for our diplomacy and our foreign trade.
* Technical and military collaboration with the allied countries.
* Participation in humane actions.
* Contribute to the nation in the maritime zones for which Belgium is responsible:
**Contribution to oceanographical search.
**Control of fishing
**Contribution to the control of pollution at sea.
**Participation in the plan of assistance in territorial waters
**Support for the customs and police operations
**Detection of wrecks of boats.
**Participation in rescues at sea.
**Contribution to the training of the commercial naval officers
**Control of territorial waters and the exclusive economic zone.
**If necessary, opening of the centre of hyperbare medicine to the population.
**Destruction of explosive devices at sea
*Preparation with the tasks to be carried out in times of crisis and war.
*Contribution to dissuasion at sea by the means of permanent allied squadrons.

Flag Officers

There are currently six officers of flag rank in the Naval Component: [cite web|url=http://www.mil.be/navycomp/subject/index.asp?LAN=nl&ID=160&FILE=subjecttext&MENU=0&PAGE=1|title=Marinecomponent: Who's Who|accessdate=2008-07-18|publisher=Defence Belgium|language=Dutch]
*Vice Admiral Pierre Warnauts, Chief of Protocol to the Court
*Vice Admiral Michel Hellemans, Assistant Chief of Staff (ACOS) Intelligence and Security
*Divisional Admiral Jacques Rosiers, Ir., Aide to the King, ACOS Strategy, Policy Director for the EU & NATO and National Armaments Director
*Divisional Admiral Marc Ectors, Director of Operations and Training at the Cabinet of the Minister of Defence
*Divisional Admiral Jean-Paul Robyns, Aide to the King and Commander of the Naval Component
*Flotilla Admiral Willy Temmerman, Defence attaché in Washington, D.C.

Current Fleet List

Frigates

Karel Doorman class
*F930 "Leopold I" (ex-HNLMS Karel Doorman)
*F931 "Louise-Marie" (ex-HNLMS Willem van der Zaan)

Mine Hunters

Tripartite class
*M915 "Aster"
*M916 "Bellis"
*M917 "Crocus"
*M921 "Lobelia"
*M923 "Narcis"
*M924 "Primula"

upport Vessels

*A960 "Godetia", Command and Logistic support ship
*A950 "Valcke", Ready Duty Ship
*A962 "Belgica", Oceanografic Research Vessel
*A963 "Stern", Ready Duty Ship
*A996 "Albatros", Ready Duty Ship
*A997 "Spin", Harbour Launch

Patrol Boat

*P902 "Liberation", a former river patrol boat built in 1954, now used during the Summer months at different locations for public relations

Auxiliary Vessels

*A958 "Zenobe Gramme", Sailing Ship
*A995 "Spich" (2003-), Rigid Inflatable Boat
*A998 "Werl" (2003-), Rigid Inflatable Boat
*A983 "Quatuor" (2006-), Royal Yacht
*A999 "Barbara", Hovercraft

Former Fleet List

The former ships were once part of the Belgian Navy since 1945:
*Wielingen class frigates
** F910 "Wielingen", Wielingen class frigate (decommissioned Summer 2007 and sold to Bulgaria)
** F911 "Westdiep", Wielingen class frigate (decommissioned 5 October 2007 and sold to Bulgaria)
** F912 "Wandelaar", Wielingen class frigate (decommissioned and sold to Bulgaria 2005)
** F913 "Westhinder", Wielingen class frigate (decommissioned 1993, scrapped)
*Tripartite minehunter
** M918 "Dianthus", Tripartite minehunter (sold to France 1993)
** M919 "Fuchsia", Tripartite minehunter (sold to France 1993)
** M920 "Iris", Tripartite minehunter (sold to France 1993)
** M922 "Myosotis", Tripartite minehunter (sold to Bulgaria 2007)
*Algerine class minesweeper
** M900 "Adrien de Gerlache" (ex HMS "Liberty", acquired 1949 - decommissioned 1969)
** M901 "Georges Lecointe" (i) (ex HMS "Cadmus", acquired 1950 - decommissioned 1959)
** M901 "Georges Lecointe" (ii) (ex HMCS "Wallaceburg", acquired 1959 - decommissioned 1969)
** M902 "Van Haverbeke" (i) (ex HMS "Ready" - acquired 1951 - decommissioned 1960)
** M903 "Dufour" (i) (ex HMS "Fancy" - acquired 1951 - decommissioned 1959)
** M903 "Dufour" (ii) (ex HMCS "Winnipeg" - acquired 1959 - decommissioned 1966)
** M904 "De Brouwer" (i) (ex HMS "Spanker" - acquired 1953 - decommissioned 1966)
** M905 "De Moor" (ex HMS "Rosario" - acquired 1953 - decommissioned 1966)
*MSO class minesweeper (Aggressive class)
** M902 "Van Haverbeke" (ii) (ex USN MSO522 - acquired 1960 - decommissioned)
** M903 "Dufour" (ex USN AM498 - ex USN MSO522 - ex Norwegian Navy M951 Lagen - acquired 1966 - decommissioned 1985)
** M904 "Debrouwer" (ex USN AM499 - ex USN MSO499 - ex Norwegian Navy M952 Namsen - acquired 1966 - decommissioned 1993)
** M906 "Breydel" (ex USN AM504, ex USN MSO504, acquired 1956 - decommissioned 1993)
** M907 "Artevelde" (ex USN AM503, ex USN MSO503, acquired 1955 - decommissioned 1985)
** M908 "Truffaut" (ex USN AM515, ex USN MSO515, acquired 1956 - decommissioned 1993)
** M909 "Bovesse" (ex USN AM516, ex USN MSO516, acquired 1957 - decommissioned 1993)
** "Pico" (ex USN AM497 - ex USN MSO497 - ex Portuguse Navy M418 Pico - acquired 1974 for spares, subsequently stripped and abandoned, never commissioned)
*MSC class coastal minesweeper (akin to US Navy Minesweeper Coastal)
** M910 "Diest" (sold to Taiwan 1969)
** M911 "Eeklo" (sold to Taiwan 1969)
** M912 "Lier" (sold to Taiwan 1969)
** M913 "Maaseik" (sold to Taiwan 1969)
** M914 "Roeselare" (sold to Norway 1966)
** M915 "Arlon" (sold to Norway 1966)
** M916 "Bastogne" (sold to Norway 1966)
** M917 "Charleroi" (sold to Taiwan 1969)
** M918 "Sint-Niklaas" (sold to Taiwan 1969)
** M919 "Sint-Truiden" (sold to Greece 1969)
** M920 "Diksmuide" (sold to Taiwan 1969)
** M921 "Herve" (sold to Greece 1969)
** M922 "Malmedy" (sold to Greece 1969)
** M923 "Blankenberge" (sold to Greece 1969)
** M924 "Laroche" (sold to Greece 1969)
** M926 "Mechelen" (converted to research ship - decommissioned)
** M927 "Spa" (converted to munition transport and renumbered A963 - decommissioned)
** M928 "Stavelot" (decommissioned 1987)
** M929 "Heist" (decommissioned 1992)
** M930 "Rochefort" (decommissioned 1992)
** M931 "Knokke" (decommissioned 1976)
** M932 "Nieuwpoort" (decommissioned 1991)
** M933 "Koksijde" (decommissioned 1991)
** M934 "Verviers" (ex USN MSC259 - converted to minehunter 1972 - decommissioned 1988)
** M935 "Veurne" (ex USN MSC260 - converted to minehunter 1972 - decommissioned 1987)
*MSI class inshore minesweepers (similar to the British Ham or Ley class)
** M470 "Temse" (sold to South Korea 1970)
** M471 "Hasselt" (transferred to Belgian Sea Cadet Corps in 1993)
** M472 "Kortrijk" (decommissioned 1989)
** M473 "Lokeren" (decommissioned 1987)
** M474 "Turnhout" (decommissioned 1991)
** M475 "Tongeren" (decommissioned 1991)
** M476 "Merksem" (decommissioned 1992)
** M477 "Oudenaarde" (decommissioned 1989)
** M478 "Herstal" (decommissioned 1991)
** M479 "Huy" (decommissioned 1990)
** M480 "Seraing" (decommissioned 1990)
** M481 "Tournai" (sold to South Korea 1970)
** M482 "Visé" (decommissioned 1991)
** M483 "Ougrée" (decommissioned 1992; she is in civilian ownership on the River Medway in Chatham, Kent, England (2007))
** M484 "Dinant" (decommissioned 1992)
** M485 "Andenne" (decommissioned 1991)
*Motorminesweeper 105 class
** M940 (decommissioned 1954)
** M941 (decommissioned 1954)
** M942 (decommissioned 1954)
** M943 (decommissioned 1954)
** M944 (decommissioned 1954)
** M945 (decommissioned 1954)
** M946 (decommissioned 1954)
** M947 (decommissioned 1954)
*Patrol boats
** P900 "Ijzer"
** P901 "Leie"
** P903 "Meuse"
** P904 "Sambre"
** P905 "Schelde"
** P906 "Semois"
** P907 "Rupel"
** P908 "Ourthe"
*Auxiliary ships
** A907 "Kamina" (decommissioned 1967)
** A951 "Hommel"
** A952 "Wesp" (decommissioned 1984)
** A952 "Bij"
** A954 "Zeemeeuw"
** A955 "Eupen" (decommissioned 1966)
** A956 "Krekel" (decommissioned 1986)
** A959 "Mier" (decommissioned 1984)
** A961 "Zinnia"
** A963 "Spa" (decommissioned 1993)
** A998 "Ekster"
*Inland waterways barges
** FN1 (abandoned in Congo 1960)
** FN2 (abandoned in Congo 1960)
** FN3 (abandoned in Congo 1960)
** FN4 (decommissioned 1982)
** FN5 (decommissioned 1982)
** FN6 (decommissioned 1982)

Footnote

External links

* [http://www.mil.be/navycomp/index.asp?LAN=en/ official website of the Naval Component]
* [http://zm-fn.blogspot.com/ http://zm-fn.blogspot.com/] , non-official blog of pictures of our old ships, in French.