Naval gun system selected for future Dutch and Belgian frigates

BAE Systems has entered into an agreement with the Dutch Materiel and IT Command (COMMIT) for eight Bofors 40Mk4 naval gun systems for the Royal Netherlands and Belgian Navies.

The contract is part of the anti-submarine warfare frigates program (a joint venture between the Royal Netherlands and Belgian Navies) and provides both navies with two frigates each and two naval gun systems per frigate.

The contract includes installation, training, documentation, spares and tools with an option for BAE Systems’ proprietary programmable ammunition and additional guns for training purposes. The first gun is scheduled for delivery in 2026.

The Bofors 40Mk4 is a compact and lightweight naval gun system designed for anti-aircraft and anti-surface warfare operations. It can switch seamlessly among ammunition types, ensuring versatile targeting of air, land and sea-based threats.

The programmable 40mm Bofors 3P ammunition provides the naval gun system with enhanced combat flexibility, as it can be programmed in six different function modes to provide optimised effect.