The four Holland-class ocean-going patrol vessels (OPVs) of the Royal Netherlands Navy (Koninklijke Marine) require a so-called midlife update (MLU). Only with a modernization will the ships remain usable until they reach the end of their service life in 15 to 20 years. Many parts of the ships, which are also referred to as Oceangoing Patrol Vessels (OPVs), will need to be replaced over the course of this decade. Otherwise, it can lead to malfunctions or even outages. These include important systems for the health and safety of personnel, such as alarms and air supply. It also becomes increasingly difficult to obtain spare parts without a Mid-Life Update (MLU).
The integrated operating and monitoring system is being adapted at the MLU. In the IT field, among other things, the hardware and software on board will be replaced. Furthermore, the layers of paint on the decks, the hull and the tanks are removed and reapplied in several layers. The ventilation system for climate control, the heating installation, pumps and valves and part of the radar and communication equipment will also be replaced. They are designed for coast guard duties in the Netherlands and as an on-station ship in the Caribbean. A budget of between € 100 and € 250 million is available for the project.
The Holland-class ocean-going patrol vessels are a class of four ocean-going patrol vessels constructed for the Royal Netherlands Navy. They are designed to fulfill patrol and intervention tasks against lightly armed opponents, such as pirates and smugglers, but have much higher level electronic and radar surveillance capabilities which are used for military stabilization and security roles, short of outright war. Without sonar or long range weapons, they utilize the surveillance capabilities of the Thales integrated mast, which integrates communication systems and two 4-faced phased arrays for air and surface search.
The Holland class’ main armament is a 76 mm Oto Melara Super Rapid gun with a firing rate of 120 rounds per minute and a maximum range of 16 km (9.9 mi). Due to their size and sensor suite, the OPVs can be compared to corvettes and frigates. However, their relatively light armament does not fit with that qualification.The vessels are designed for global use, in particular to be deployed to the Caribbean region, the South China Sea and the North Sea. The ships are built to a design that is intended to reduce the ability of radar to detect them,[4] as well improving seakeeping by locating the superstructure unusually far aft.
