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🇧🇪 Belgium /Conflict & Security

Belgian frigate Leopold I stranded in US port by defect, leaving Belgium temporarily without operational frigate

From VRT NWS · () Dutch

Translated from Dutch, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • The Belgian frigate Leopold I is stranded in Norfolk, USA, due to a cooling system defect, preventing it from sailing.
  • With the Leopold I out of service and the Louise-Marie undergoing maintenance, Belgium's navy currently has no operational frigates.
  • The prolonged absence of frigates is a critical issue, as new ships are not expected until 2034, raising concerns about maintaining naval capabilities.

The Belgian navy faces a significant operational gap, with both of its frigates currently out of service. The Leopold I, a vessel built in 1991, has been docked in Norfolk, Virginia, for three weeks due to a critical cooling system failure that affects its engines. This breakdown prevents the ship from undertaking its planned NATO mission on the Atlantic Ocean and participating in a US Navy parade.

Without cooling, a ship cannot sail. Everything needs cooling, both the ship itself and the systems for energy supply and weapons systems. That is why there are always 2 cooling systems on board, so there is always a backup. But apparently both systems are out. That is a serious problem for a ship.

— Wim RobberechtFormer commander of the navy, Wim Robberecht, explains the critical nature of the cooling system failure on the Leopold I.

Adding to the navy's woes, the Louise-Marie is also unavailable as it heads for maintenance in the Netherlands. This dual unavailability means Belgium currently possesses no active frigates, a situation described as a "pain point" that has been repeatedly flagged to the government for years. The lack of operational frigates jeopardizes the navy's capabilities and its accumulated expertise.

It is becoming increasingly difficult to obtain the right spare parts. So when such systems fail, it causes headaches.

— Wim RobberechtWim Robberecht discusses the challenges of maintaining older naval vessels like the Leopold I.

Retired Vice Admiral Wim Robberecht highlighted the severity of the cooling system failure, noting that a ship cannot sail without it. He explained that while ships typically have backup cooling systems, both appear to be non-functional on the Leopold I. Robberecht also pointed to the challenges of sourcing spare parts for older vessels like the Leopold I, which was built in 1991, and suggested that the navy needs new ships.

You cannot keep sailing with old frigates until 2034.

— Wim RobberechtWim Robberecht emphasizes the urgent need for new frigates given the age of the current fleet.

Belgium has ordered two new frigates, but their construction is significantly delayed, with the first not expected until 2034. This leaves a substantial gap that defense officials are working with the Netherlands to bridge, aiming to avoid a complete loss of frigate deployment capability and operational knowledge.

Defense is now thoroughly investigating, together with the Netherlands, how they can bridge that period. We must avoid at all costs that Belgium can no longer deploy frigates and loses its know-how.

— Wim RobberechtWim Robberecht highlights the efforts to address the frigate shortage and preserve naval expertise.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by VRT NWS in Dutch. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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