On 3 September the Royal Netherlands Navy's First of Class Air Defence and Command Frigate, "De Zeven Provinciën", sailed from Flushing to start its first set of platform sea trials. Thales Naval Nederland's APAR, SMART-L and GOALKEEPER are amongst the equipment sailing along.

The official delivery by the Royal Schelde shipyard to the Royal Netherlands Navy is scheduled for March next year. The other three frigates are scheduled for delivery  up to 2005.