The security of maritime access routes, ports, and critical infrastructure remains a strategic mission for Belgium and its allies. At the same time, maritime threats are evolving. Modern naval mines are becoming increasingly sophisticated and can have a significant impact on military operations, international trade routes, and the protection of critical maritime infrastructure.
For an open and maritime economy like Belgium’s, the security of maritime routes, ports, and underwater infrastructure is also essential for supply, international trade, and energy supply. To meet these challenges, Belgium and the Netherlands are jointly investing in a new generation of mine warfare capabilities. The rMCM program combines innovative ships with autonomous systems on, under, and above the water and is designed to enable both navies to act safely and effectively, today and tomorrow.
Moreover, the historical threat remains relevant. More than a century after World War I, explosives are still regularly found at sea. On September 17, 2026, a naval mine from World War I, with an explosive charge of approximately 150 kilograms, was safely neutralized in the North Sea. This underscores that mine warfare not only addresses future threats but also contributes, today and every day, to maritime security.
“The Tournai is more than a new ship. It represents a new step in the development of an integrated mine countermeasures capability, bringing together vessels, autonomous systems and highly trained military personnel,” said Admiral Tanguy Botman, Commander of the Belgian Navy. “As this new capability gradually takes shape, the Navy is also investing in the training and recruitment of the people who will operate and maintain it in the years to come.”
The Tournai is the second ship of the City class, designed according to the “stand-off” concept. Autonomous surface vessels, underwater drones, and aerial platforms carry out mine warfare missions, while the ship and its crew can operate at a safe distance from the danger posed by mines.
Belgium and the Netherlands are among the first countries to develop this integrated capability at the operational scale. Full deployment requires a process of integration, testing, training, and qualification.
“The delivery of the second minehunter Tournai, joining the Belgian Navy, marks an important milestone of the Belgian-Dutch mine countermeasures vessel (rMCM) replacement program,” said Marie-Aline Widenlocher, Mine Warfare Programs Director, Naval Group. “We are honored by the trust placed in our products and know-how. This delivery is the result of collaborative work between French, Belgian, and Dutch teams, who are fully committed to the delivery of the next ships. Naval Group and the BNR consortium thank the Directorate General of Defense Material Resources for their trust in the realization of this program.”
“Today, we enthusiastically celebrate the delivery of the Tournai, the second minehunter destined for the Belgian Navy,” said Fabrice Bosch, rMCM Program Director at Exail. “As the supplier of the autonomous systems for the program, Exail is fully committed to the manufacturing and qualification of the next drone toolboxes that will equip these next-generation ships. It is a great pride to reach this milestone alongside Naval Group and the Belgian Defense, with whom we share a very strong industrial dynamic.”
The rMCM program was awarded in 2019 to Belgium Naval & Robotics, the consortium formed by Naval Group and Exail. Belgium and the Netherlands are jointly acquiring 12 City-class ships, six for each navy. This program brings together Belgian, Dutch, and French expertise to develop a new generation of mine warfare capabilities.
The official transfer of ownership of the M941 Tournai to the Belgian State will take place on September 25, 2026, in Zeebrugge. This transfer will be followed by other integration, training, testing, and qualification activities aimed at gradually making the full operational capability available. These activities are intended to enable the progressive deployment of the new mine warfare system.
