March 1995. The Mediterranean Sea. Photo from the archives of A. Andreev.

Country: Belgium.
Class, [Type]: Wielingen, [FF].
Homeport: Zeebrugge.

Callsign: ORJR (     )

Builder: Boelwerft, Ternse, Belgium.
Laid down date: 5 March 1974.
Launch date: 30 March 1976.
Commission date: 20 January 1978.
Decommission date: 7 December 2007.

Displacement ( tons ): 2000 standard, 2450 full load.
Dimensions ( metres ): 106,5 x 12,5 x 5,5.
Main machinery: CODOG: 1 x RR Olympus TM3B gas turbine ( 25440 hp ), 2 x Cockerill 240 CO V 12 diesels ( 6000 hp ).
Speed ( knots ): 26.
Range ( miles ): 4500 at 18 knots.
Complement: 159 ( 13 officers ).

Guns: 1 x 1 100mm Creusot-Loire.
Missiles: SSM: 2 x 2 MM38 Exocet; SAM: 1 x 8 Mk29 Sea Sparrow ( RIM-7P missiles ).
A/S weapons: 1 x 6 375mm Mortars Creusot-Loire.
Torpedoes: 2 x 1 533mm tubes for ECAN L5.

Radars: Air/surface search: DA-05; Navigation: Scout; Surface/Fire Control: WM-25.
Countermeasures: Decoys: 2 x 6 Mk36 SRBOC, AN/SLQ-25 Nixie.
Sonars: SQS-510.
Comment: Sold to Bulgaria. Renamed Verni ( 42 ).

Year of visit the Black Sea:  1995