Belgian minehunter M941 Tournai to start sea trials for drone-based naval defense.

The Belgian mine countermeasure vessel Tournai (M941) is preparing for sea trials before its scheduled delivery to the Belgian Navy in March 2026.

The Belgian minehunter Tournai (M941) is preparing to begin its sea trials, as confirmed by its commanding officer, Pierre de Oliveira, on October 8, 2025. The vessel, built by the Belgium Naval & Robotics consortium that includes Naval Group and Exail, is part of a 12-ship rMCM program equally divided between Belgium and the Netherlands. The program, valued at over two billion euros, is intended to replace the Tripartite-class minehunters with new-generation ships equipped for remote and autonomous mine countermeasure operations. Tournai is planned for delivery to the Belgian Navy in March 2026 and will be based at Zeebrugge alongside the lead unit Oostende (M940).
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The M941 Tournai is equipped with several drones controlled through a unified mission management system that allows mine detection, classification, and disposal to be conducted remotely while the ship remains outside the minefield. (Picture source: X/Commandant M941 Tournai)

The M941 Tournai is the second mine countermeasure ship for the Belgian Navy and the third overall unit in the joint Belgium–Netherlands Replacement Mine Counter Measures (rMCM) program. Delivery to the Belgian Navy is scheduled for March 2026. Built under the leadership of the Belgium Naval & Robotics consortium, formed by Naval Group and Exail, the ship is part of a twelve-vessel contract shared equally between Belgium and the Netherlands. The rMCM program, valued at over two billion euros, aims to replace the aging Tripartite-class minehunters with a new generation of ships designed to operate unmanned systems remotely.

Construction of Tournai began with keel laying on March 29, 2023, during the launch ceremony of the lead ship Oostende (M940) at the Giurgiu shipyard in Romania. The vessel’s bow and part of the hull were built in Gdynia, Poland, while the stern and superstructure were produced and assembled at the Piriou shipyard in Concarneau, France. Following completion of assembly, the hull was transferred to the port’s open-air area for painting in April 2024 and officially launched on July 2, 2024. The event was attended by Belgian Minister of Defence Ludivine Dedonder and Tournai’s mayor Paul-Olivier Delannois. Fitting-out work has since continued in Concarneau, with the ship undergoing system integration and final preparations for sea trials before delivery to Zeebrugge, its future home port, in early 2026.

The Tournai belongs to the City-class, known as the Vlissingen-class in Dutch service, and measures 82.3 meters in length, 17 meters in beam, and 3.8 meters in draught, with a full-load displacement of about 2,900 tonnes. It uses a Combined Diesel-Electric and Diesel (CODLAD) propulsion configuration composed of one ABC 12VDZC diesel generator, two ABC 6DZC diesel generators, and two MEP electric motors rated at 1,800 kW each, driving twin Wärtsilä fixed-pitch propellers. The vessel also features bow and stern transverse thrusters for low-speed maneuvering. Maximum speed reaches 15.3 knots, and the complement varies from 33 to 63 personnel depending on mission configuration. The ship’s design emphasizes low magnetic and acoustic signatures and incorporates shock resistance and redundancy in propulsion and control systems for safe operation in mine-infested waters.

The vessel’s combat management and mission control architecture is provided by Naval Group’s Polaris (SETIS-C) system integrated with Exail’s UMIS (Unmanned MCM Integrated System). It allows coordination of the ship’s own systems with multiple unmanned assets operating on or below the sea surface. The suite includes the UMISOFT mission data management system, a containerized Mine Warfare System (MWS) command center, and a Multi-Drone Mission System (MDMS). Sensors include the iXblue FLS-60 forward-looking sonar, an ECA T18-M towed sonar, and an Exail A18-M autonomous underwater vehicle fitted with a UMISAS 120 synthetic aperture sonar. Surface surveillance and targeting are handled by a Terma Scanter 6000 radar and a Thales NS50 AESA radar. Electro-optical systems consist of two Sea Eagle FCEO stabilized camera units with HD, infrared, and laser rangefinding capabilities. The communications suite integrates the Saab TactiCall system and an iXblue inertial navigation setup for precise station keeping.

The Tournai’s armament is focused on defensive and support functions. It includes one BAE Bofors 40 Mk4 gun, two FN Herstal Sea deFNder remote weapon stations armed with 12.7 mm FN M3R machine guns, four 7.62 mm FN MAG general-purpose machine guns, two Long Range Acoustic Devices (LRAD), and two water cannons. The vessel also embarks two UMS Skeldar V-200 rotary-wing unmanned aerial vehicles that act as communication relays and reconnaissance platforms for mine detection at extended ranges. Its drone deployment systems are designed by Naval Group and allow the launch and recovery of ECA Inspector 125 unmanned surface vessels from side-mounted LARS (Launch and Recovery Systems). Each Inspector 125 can deploy either a T18-M towed sonar, an A18-M autonomous underwater vehicle, or remotely operated vehicles such as the Seascan Mk2 and K-STER C for mine identification and neutralization. Some units are equipped for acoustic and magnetic influence sweeping using Exail draggers with integrated CTM magnetic modules.

The internal hangar of the Tournai extends across the full width of the vessel, providing storage and maintenance space for unmanned systems and containers. It includes an overhead crane, a stern crane, and facilities for reconfiguring mission payloads. Two 7-meter SOLAS Viking RHIBs are carried for inspection and boarding tasks. Power generation aboard reaches 32 MW, supporting multiple mission systems and future modular payloads. The class emphasizes operations conducted at stand-off range from minefields, with the unmanned systems assuming direct clearance roles to reduce risk to the crew. Each ship can control up to 80 robotic assets, integrating sonar data, optical imagery, and command inputs within a single operational picture managed from the operations center behind the bridge.

The rMCM program was formally awarded in 2019 to Belgium Naval & Robotics after a competitive process that included teams led by STX France and Thales, and by Damen Group with Imtech Belgium. Belgium approved a 1.1 billion euro budget for its six units, which will also replace the retired logistics ship Godetia through added command and logistical capabilities. The Dutch Navy’s six vessels, constructed in parallel, share the same base design but differ slightly in combat system integration. The delivery schedule, adjusted in May 2024, sets Oostende for delivery in August 2025, Vlissingen at the end of 2025, Tournai in March 2026, and Brugge by December 2026, followed by the Liège, Antwerpen, and Rochefort up to 2029. The class will enhance NATO mine countermeasure capacities and aligns with similar future French procurement under the SLAM-F program, which foresees six comparable ships serving as mine warfare motherships.

Once Tournai completes sea trials and is delivered to Zeebrugge, it will join Oostende and later units in a gradual transition from the Tripartite-class fleet, whose remaining Belgian ships have been transferred to Bulgaria for Black Sea operations. The Tournai’s entry into service marks an essential step in maintaining Belgium’s established role in mine countermeasure operations. Its commissioning, expected in 2026, will complete a cycle that began with the joint 2018 Memorandum of Understanding between Belgium and the Netherlands and will position the Belgian Navy as one of the first NATO fleets to field a fully integrated, drone-centered mine countermeasure system capable of autonomous and coordinated multi-domain operation.

Written by Jérôme Brahy

Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.