Wielingen-class frigate
Verni, the former Wielingen, in 2015
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Class overview | |
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Name | Wielingen class |
Builders |
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Operators | |
Preceded by | Algerine class |
Succeeded by | Karel Doorman class |
Built | 1974–1978 |
In commission | 1976–present |
Planned | 4 |
Completed | 4 |
Active | 3 |
Scrapped | 1 |
General characteristics | |
Type | Guided-missile frigate |
Displacement | 2,283 t (2,247 long tons) at full load |
Length | 106.4 m (349 ft 1 in) oa |
Beam | 12.3 m (40 ft 4 in) |
Draught | 5.6 m (18 ft 4 in) |
Propulsion |
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Speed | 28 knots (52 km/h; 32 mph) |
Range | 4,500 nmi (8,300 km; 5,200 mi) at 18 kn (33 km/h; 21 mph) |
Complement | 160 |
Sensors and processing systems |
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Armament |
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The Wielingen class is a
Design and description
The
The frigates feature an action information centre between decks and the ships could be split into two independent gas-tight citadels in the case of
The ships are propelled by a two-
The Wielingen class were armed with four launchers for
Ships in the class
Wielingen class construction data[2][4] | |||||||
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Name | Pennant number | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Commissioned | Paid off | Status/Fate |
Wielingen | F910 | Boelwerf, Temse | 5 March 1974 | 30 March 1976 | 20 January 1978 | 2006 | Sold to Bulgaria in 2008, refurbished and commissioned as Verni (Верни – Faithful) (42) |
Westdiep | F911 | Cockerill, Hoboken , Antwerp
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2 September 1974 | 8 December 1975 | 20 January 1978 | 5 October 2007 | Sold to Bulgaria in 2008, refurbished and commissioned as Gordi (Горди – Proud) (43) |
Wandelaar | F912 | Boelwerf, Temse | 28 March 1975[d] | 21 June 1977 | 3 October 1978 | 2004 | Sold to Bulgaria in 2004, refurbished and commissioned as Drazki (Дръзки – Daring) (41) |
Westhinder | F913 | Cockerill, Hoboken, Antwerp | 8 December 1975 | 30 March 1976 | 20 January 1978 | 1 July 1993 | Ran aground in 1988, Scrapped 7 November 2000[5] |
Construction and career
The construction programme of four ships was approved on 23 June 1971 and an order was placed with two Belgian shipyards in October 1973.[2][3] Construction of the ships began in 1974. The first two ships, Wielingen and Westdiep, were first delivered in December 1976. However, they were both sent back to their yards for an engine overhaul which was completed in 1977.[2] The four ships, including the final two Wandelaar and Westhinder, all entered service in 1978.[1] All four ships were based at Zeebrugge.[3] Westhinder was damaged during an anti-submarine exercise off the coast of Norway in September 1988, striking a rock.[6] The ship was decommissioned on 1 July 1993 and then used as a parts hulk for the other frigates. The hulk was towed to Ghent for scrapping on 7 November 2000.[5] Following the loss of Westhinder, two of the frigates were kept operational while the third was placed in reserve or under refit.[3] The third ship, Wandelaar, was decommissioned in 2004 and was sold to the Bulgarian Navy the same year. Wielingen and Westdiep were decommissioned in 2007 sold to Bulgaria in 2008.[7]
Bulgaria joined NATO in 2004 and sought out options to replace their older Soviet-era fleet to fulfill their obligations with the organisation. In May 2004 the Bulgarian government agreed to purchase new equipment for the Bulgarian Navy.[8] On 4 December 2004, a letter of intent was signed by the government and the first ship, Wandelaar was acquired. Approval of the purchase came only on 17 March 2005 and Wandelaar was transferred to Bulgaria in October 2005. The ship was renamed Drazki.[9] Drazki was followed by the remaining two frigates of the class, with confirmation of their acquisition on 7 December 2007. Bulgaria took possession of Westdiep on 22 August 2008 and renamed the frigate Gordi followed by Wielingen in February 2009 which was renamed Verni.[9][10] In 2011 Drazki took part in NATO operations against Libya and since then, the vessels have participated in several naval exercises with Turkey.[11]
See also
Notes
- ^ Moore has the program approved on 23 June 1971 with design studies only commenced in July 1973.[2]
- ^ Gardiner, Chumbley & Budzbon have the draught at 5.3 m (17 ft 5 in).[1]
- ^ "/55 calibre" refers to the length of the gun in terms of calibres, or the bore diameter of the gun.
- ^ Gardiner, Chumbley & Budzbon have the date as 5 March 1975.[1]
Citations
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Gardiner, Chumbley & Budzbon 1995, p. 25.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Moore 1980, p. 51.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Saunders 2004, p. 53.
- ^ Wertheim 2013, pp. 48, 70.
- ^ a b Wertheim 2013, p. 48.
- ^ Warship International.
- ^ Wertheim 2013, p. 70.
- ^ Sanders 2015, pp. 75–76.
- ^ a b Saunders 2009, p. 90.
- ^ Sanders 2015, p. 76.
- ^ Sanders 2015, pp. 76–77.
References
- Gardiner, Robert; Chumbley, Stephen & Budzbon, Przemysław, eds. (1995). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1947–1995. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-132-7.
- Moore, John, ed. (1980). Jane's Fighting Ships 1980–81 (83rd ed.). New York: Jane's Publishing Incorporated. ISBN 0-531-03937-4.
- Sanders, Deborah (Spring 2015). "The Bulgarian Navy After the Cold War: Challenges of Building and Modernizing an Effective Navy". Naval War College Review. 8 (62): 69–84 – via JSTOR.
- Saunders, Stephen, ed. (2004). Jane's Fighting Ships 2004–2005 (107 ed.). Alexandria, Virginia: Jane's Information Group Inc. ISBN 0-7106-2623-1.
- Saunders, Stephen, ed. (2009). Jane's Fighting Ships 2009–2010 (112 ed.). Alexandria, Virginia: Jane's Information Group Inc. ISBN 0-7106-2888-9.
- "Naval Intelligence". Warship International. 26 (2). International Naval Research Organization: 191. 1989.
- Wertheim, Eric, ed. (2013). The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World (16th ed.). Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 9-7-815911-4954-5.