The earlier Belgian fit in the shared anti-submarine frigate programme had eight VLS cells compared with sixteen on the Dutch ships. If filled with quad-packed ESSM, those fits provide thirty-two and sixty-four missiles respectively. The smaller load is criticised in light of engagement ranges and increasing attack speeds. In the December 2025 account, Belgium may also have moved to sixteen cells, but that detail remains uncertain. The reported Belgian order has increased from two to three ships and the Dutch order from two to four. Construction is only just beginning, with the first Dutch ship believed to have been laid down in 2025 and no Belgian hull yet laid down. The eventual defensive fit and value of the programme therefore cannot be judged solely from an early proposal.
Notable Point · 12:50-15:06
Eight or sixteen VLS cells on Dutch and Belgian ASW frigates
Early differences in the Dutch-Belgian frigate programme show how launcher count and quad-packing affect defensive ammunition capacity, while funding and fleet orders continue to change.