The Ostend is the first of twelve brand new mine countermeasures vessels that Belgium has ordered together with the Netherlands: six for each navy. What is new about the mine countermeasures vessels is that they operate outside the danger zone like a mother ship.
So they no longer sail above the danger zone like traditional mine hunters, but send out drones that identify, detect and destroy the mines. This is done with unmanned vessels that are launched via the hull of the ship. These vessels are also equipped with smaller underwater and surface drones.
