Belgian minehunter Bellis

Bellis (M916) is a Tripartite-class minehunter of the Belgian Naval Component, launched on 14 February 1986 at the Mercantile-Belyard shipyard in Rupelmonde and christened by Ellen Goffinet-Rosman, the wife of the then Mayor of Arlon, on 18 September 1986. The patronage of Bellis was accepted by the city of Arlon. It was the second of the Belgian Tripartite-class minehunters.[2]

Bellis
History
Belgium
NameBellis
BuilderMercantile-Belyard, Rupelmonde
Laid down9 February 1984
Launched14 February 1986
Christened18 September 1986
Commissioned13 August 1986
Identification
Motto
  • Luctor et emergo
  • (Latin: "I struggle and emerge")
Statusin active service
General characteristics [1]
Class and typeTripartite-class minehunter
Displacement560 t (551 long tons)
Length51.5 m (169 ft 0 in)
Beam8.96 m (29 ft 5 in)
Height18.5 m (60 ft 8 in) above waterline
Draught3.6 m (11 ft 10 in)
Propulsion
Speed15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Range3,000 nmi (5,600 km) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Boats & landing
craft carried
Complement4 officers, 15 non-commissioned officers, 17 sailors
Sensors and
processing systems
  • 1 Thales Underwater Systems TSM 2022 Mk III Hull Mounted Sonar
  • 1 SAAB Bofors Double Eagle Mk III Self Propelled Variable Depth Sonar
  • 1 Consilium Selesmar Type T-250/10CM003 Radar
Armament3 × FN .50 caliber (12.7 mm) machine guns

Commissioned on 13 August 1986, the ship participated the rescue of the survivors of ferry MS Herald of Free Enterprise in March 1987 which had capsized outside the port of Zeebrugge.[2]

Bellis was attached to NATO's Mine Countermeasure Force (North) (MCMFORNORTH) in 1987, 1990, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2002 and 2004, and to Mine Countermeasures Force (South) (MCMFORSOUTH) in 1992, 1995, 1997, 1999, and 2003.[2]

Pictures

References
  1. "Composante Marine Sujet Caractéristiques du Chasseur de Mines Tripartite (CMT) après modification CUP" (in French). www.mil.be. Retrieved 20 November 2009.
  2. "Composante Marine Unités M916 Bellis - Mijnenjager (Tripartite) Généralités" (in French). www.mil.be. Retrieved 20 November 2009.



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