Group : Patrol Boats
Status : Active
Also Known As : Ocean Patrol Vessel
Origin : Netherlands
Contractors : Damen Shipyard Galati, Royal Schelde Group
Initial Operational Capability (IOC) : May 12, 2011
Total Production : 4

The Royal Netherlands Navy (RNLN) Ocean Patrol Vessels (OPVs) are flexible, long-endurance ships with a high performance, designed for tasks including embargo operations, counter drugs trafficking, and humanitarian missions. The key element for these patrol vessels is the Thales Integrated Mast which contains state-of-the-art surveillance sensors. The RNLN plans call for the procurement of four vessels with the lead ship to be commissioned at the end of 2010.

Thales Integrated Mast will contain the sensors SMILE, SEASTAR, and GATEKEEPER. The non-rotating radars SMILE and SEASTAR have been designed to detect airborne and surface littoral targets respectively that are difficult to detect by a typical rotating radar. These sensors support missions in coastal waters thanks to their inherent longer time on target and capability to operate in complicated atmospheric conditions. GATEKEEPER is a 360-degree full coverage electro-optical surveillance system.