© BELGIUM
The Belgian frigate Louise-Marie will not sail to the Red Sea for the time being, where it would be responsible for the safety of commercial shipping. The reason for the postponement is an incident during training in which a rocket got stuck in a launch tube.
The Louise-Marie left Zeebrugge on March 10 to take part in the European operation against the Houthi rebels. They have been carrying out attacks on commercial ships since November, claiming to support the Palestinians in the conflict with Israel. On April 12, the ship would sail from the Mediterranean Sea, where it is now moored near Crete, via the Suez Canal to the Red Sea, to become part of the so-called Operation Aspides. The naval ship would also contribute to Operation Agenor, which aims to increase security in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz.
It doesn’t get to that point now, for a remarkable reason. An incident took place last week in which a RIM-7 Sea Sparrow anti-aircraft missile became stuck in the launch tube during a drone downing exercise, according to the Dutch website Marineschips.nl. The other defenses present on the ship would also have failed to shoot down the practice drone.
The Louise-Marie and her 170-person crew will continue their “preparatory training indefinitely,” the Defense press service said in the statement. The Red Sea mission is therefore postponed indefinitely.
The ship’s commander, Captain Helena Vande Gaer, and the general staff have decided to extend the frigate’s training period. The technical shortcomings are being analyzed and the necessary adjustments will be made with a view to continuing the assignment, Defense added. For security reasons, no further details are given.