HNLMS Van Kinsbergen (F809)

In the early 1970s the Royal Netherlands Navy developed a 'Standard' frigate design to replace the destroyers of the Holland- and Friesland-classes. The 'Standard' design would have anti-submarine (the Kortenaer class) and anti-aircraft (the Jacob van Heemskerck-class) variants with different armaments on a common hull design. The first eight Kortenaers were ordered in 1974, with four more ordered in 1976, although two were sold to Greece while being built, and replaced by two of the anti-aircraft variant.[1]

The Kortenaer's were 130.2 metres (427 ft 2 in) long overall and 121.8 metres (400 ft) between perpendiculars, with a beam) of 14.4 metres (47 ft 3 in) and a draft of 4.4 metres (14 ft 5 in) (and 6.0 metres (19 ft 8 in) at the propellers).[1][2][3] Displacement was 3,000 long tons (3,050 t) standard and 3,785 long tons (3,846 t) full load.[1] The ship was powered by two 25,800 shaft horsepower (19,200 kW) Rolls-Royce Olympus TM 3B and two 4,900 shaft horsepower (3,700 kW) Rolls-Royce Tyne TM 1C gas turbines in a combined gas or gas (COGOG) arrangement, driving two propeller shafts. The Olympus engines gave a speed of 30 knots (35 mph; 56 km/h) and the Tyne cruise engines gave a speed of 20 knots (23 mph; 37 km/h).[1]

A Westland Lynx approaches the flight deck of Van Kinsbergen

Van Kinsbergen manoeuvring dynamically; aft view with hangar and armament.

Van Kinsbergen's main anti-aircraft armament was an 8-round NATO Sea Sparrow surface-to-air missile launcher in front of the bridge. An OTO Melara 76 mm was fitted forward of the Sea Sparrow launcher, while a Goalkeeper CIWS was planned to be fitted aft, on the roof of the ship's hangar. Goalkeeper was not available when the ships were built, however, and Van Kinsbergen was completed with a Bofors 40 mm L/60 anti-aircraft gun in its place. Eight Harpoon anti-ship missiles could be carried in two quadruple launchers, although two or four Harpoons was a more normal peacetime load-out. A hangar and fight deck were fitted to accommodate two Westland Lynx helicopters, although only one was normally carried. Close-in anti submarine armament was provided by four 324 mm tubes for US Mark 46 torpedoes.[1][4] A Signaal LW-08 long-range air search radar was fitted, together with a ZW-06 surface-search radar, with WM-25 and STIR-180 fire control radars to direct the ship's armament. A Canadian SQS-505 hull-mounted sonar was fitted.[1][5]

Van Kinsbergen's Bofors was replaced by the intended Goalkeeper by 1995.[1] On transfer to Greece, the Goalkeeper was removed. Greece replaced it by an American Phalanx CIWS, while Agusta-Bell AB 212 helicopters replaced the Lynxes.[6]

HNLMS Van Kinsbergen was laid down at the Koninklijke Maatschappij De Schelde (KM de Schelde) shipyard in Vlissingen on 2 September 1975. She was launched on 16 April 1977 and commissioned into service on 24 April 1980 with the Pennant number F 809.[1] The ship's radio call sign was "PADC".[7]

Van Kinsbergen and the frigates De Ruyter, Callenburgh, Jan van Brakel and the replenishment ship Poolster departed from Den Helder on 13 January 1986 for a trip to the Far East to show the flag and promote Dutch trade. The ships returned on 19 June.[8]

In 1995 the vessel was transferred to the Hellenic Navy.[1]

The ship was commissioned into the Hellenic Navy on 1 March 1995, with the new name Navarinon and the pennant number F 461.[6]

On 28 December the ship participated in a rescue mission to assist MS Norman Atlantic after it caught fire.[7]

• Baker, A. D., ed. (1998). The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World 1998–1999. Annapolis, Maryland, USA: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-1-55750-111-0.
• Couhat, Jean Laybayle; Baker, A. D., eds. (1986). Combat Fleets of the World 1986/87: Their Ships, Aircraft and Armament. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-0-85368-860-0.
• Friedman, Norman (1997). The Naval Institute Guide to World Naval Weapon Systems 1997–1998. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-1-55750-268-1.
• Gardiner, Robert; Chumbley, Stephen, eds. (1995). Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1947–1995. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-1-55750-132-5.
• Moore, John, ed. (1979). Jane's Fighting Ships 1979–80. London: Jane's Yearbooks. ISBN 978-0-354-00587-6.
• Saunders, Stephen, ed. (2002). Jane's Fighting Ships 2002–2003. Coulsdon, UK: Jane's Information Group. ISBN 978-0-7106-2432-1.