Belgian Navy
| Marine Component of the Belgian Armed Forces | |
|---|---|
|
|
| Active | 1831–1862: Royal Navy 1917–1927: Corps of Destroyers and Sailors 1939–1940: Naval Corps 1940–1946: Belgian Section, Royal Navy 1946–2002: Naval Force 2002–2007: Maritime Component 2007–present: Marine Component |
| Country |
 Belgium |
| Allegiance |
 King of the Belgians
|
| Type | Navy |
| Size | 1,600 personnel 2 frigates, 6 minehunters, 6 support vessels |
| Part of |
 Belgian Armed Forces
|
| Garrison/HQ | Zeebrugge, Bruges, Ostend, Antwerp |
| Ship classes |
Karel Doorman-class frigate Tripartite-class minehunter |
| Commanders | |
| Commander | Divisional admiral Wim Robberecht |
| Insignia | |
| Naval ensign |  |
| Naval jack |  |
The Belgian Navy, officially the Marine Component (Dutch: Marinecomponent; French: Composante marine; German: Marinekomponente) of the Belgian Armed Forces, formerly the Belgian Naval Force, is the naval service of Belgium.
The Belgian Navy was created as the Marine Royale (English: Royal Navy) in 1831. This force has operated in various forms throughout Belgian history.
When after the Belgian Revolution, the country became independent in 1830, a Dutch squadron blocked the Scheldt estuary. To deal with this threat the Belgian Congress ordered two brigantines to be built, which bore the names Congrès and Les Quatre Journées. After the French army, led by Marshal Count Gérard, captured the citadel of Antwerp in 1832, the captured Dutch gun boats were pressed into Belgian service. In 1840 the Belgian government bought the schooner Louise Marie and in 1845 the brig Duc de Brabant. Louise Marie participated in the Rio Nuñez Incident in 1849. In 1862, the Belgian government discarded its navy and pursued a minimalistic naval policy.
At the outbreak of World War I, Belgium had no navy (an impromptu force was assembled at the Battle for Lake Tanganyika) but the war caused this policy to change and in 1917 a Corps of Destroyers and Sailors was created. The Belgian naval personnel served onboard French minesweepers and provided the artillerymen for Belgian merchant ships. The Treaty of Versailles allocated Belgium 11 torpedo boats and 26 minesweepers. For budgetary reasons, Belgium again abolished its navy in 1927.
...
Wikipedia