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Bulgarian frigate Verni

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History
Belgium
NameWielingen
BuilderBoelwerf, Temse
Laid down5 March 1974
Launched30 March 1976
Christened20 January 1978
HomeportZeebrugge Naval Base
Motto"Fit via Vi"
FateSold to Bulgaria in February 2009
Bulgaria
NameVerni
AcquiredFebruary 2009
StatusIn service
General characteristics
Class and typeWielingen-class frigate
Displacement2,200 tonnes
Length106.38 m (349.0 ft)
Beam12.30 m (40.4 ft)
Draught5.60 m (18.4 ft)
Propulsion
  • Combined diesel or gas turbine
  • 2 × ABC type DZC diesel engines providing 4,200 hp (3,100 kW) each
  • 1 × Rolls-Royce Olympus T M - 3 B gasturbine providing 27.575 hp
  • 2 inverted screws with variable pitch
Speed28 knots (52 km/h)
Range6,000 mi (9,700 km) at 16 knots (30 km/h)
Complement14 officers, 71 NCOs and 74 sailors
Armament

Verni (Bulgarian: Верни, lit.'Faithful') is a Wielingen-class frigate of the Bulgarian Navy. She was originally commissioned as Wielingen in the Belgian Navy.

Construction and career

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Wielingen was launched on 30 March 1976 at the Boelwerf in Temse, and christened by Queen Fabiola of Belgium, on 20 January 1978. The patronage of the Wielingen was accepted by the city of Malmedy. Wielingen was the first ship in the Wielingen class, and had the pennant number F910.

The ship was sold to the Bulgarian Navy and left the Zeebrugge Naval Base in February 2009 under the Bulgarian flag. She was renamed Verni, with the new pennant number 42.

Verni in the Black Sea, 8 July 2015.