The Royal Netherlands Navy's (RNLN's) four De Zeven Provincien-class air-defence and command frigates (LCFs) are to be refitted with a new 127/64 LW Vulcano 127 mm medium-calibre gun system supplied by Leonardo (formerly Oto Melara). The scope of supply will also include a new automated ammunition handling system and a naval fire support mission planning tool. The 127/64 Lightweight gun will confer the LCFs with the ability to fire extended-range, precision-guided Vulcano munitions, as well as conventional ammunition. All four LCF frigates are currently equipped with the earlier Oto Melara 127/54 Compact gun, all of which were acquired second-hand from Canada after being removed from its Tribal-class destroyers. According to the Netherlands Ministry of Defence (MoD), these mountings have now exceeded their 30-year design life and are increasingly unreliable and difficult to support. Furthermore, the current ammunition handling system is not compliant with modern working practices.
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