In the early 1960s, the Royal Netherlands Navy had an urgent requirement to replace its Van Amstel-class frigates, obsolete ex-American escorts built during the Second World War.

To meet this requirement, it chose to build a modified version of the British Leander-class frigate as its Van Speijk class, using broadly the same armament as the original design, but where possible, substituting Dutch electronics and radars.

Anti-aircraft defence was provided by two quadruple Sea Cat surface-to-air missile launchers on the hangar roof.

[4] The 4.5-inch gun was replaced by a single OTO Melara 76 mm and launchers for up to eight Harpoon anti-ship missiles fitted (although only two were normally carried).

The hangar and flight deck were enlarged, allowing a Westland Lynx helicopter to be carried, while the Limbo mortar was removed, with a pair of triple Mk 32 torpedo launchers providing close-in anti-submarine armament.

[10] The ship received a mid-life modernization in Den Helder, starting on 1 July 1980 and lasting till 28 October 1983.

The completion of modernization was delayed by around eight months from intended due to lack of civilian labor in naval dockyards.

[1] The ship was transferred to Indonesia on 1 November 1990 and renamed as KRI Karel Satsuitubun, assigned with pennant number 356.

[13] Karel Satsuitubun, along with Abdul Halim Perdanakusuma, Raden Eddy Martadinata, I Gusti Ngurah Rai, Fatahillah, Malahayati, Sultan Hasanuddin, Sultan Iskandar Muda, Sultan Nuku, dr. Wahidin Sudirohusodo, Surabaya, Teluk Banten, Tarakan and Bima Suci were deployed in waters off Nusa Dua, Bali to patrol the area during 2022 G20 Bali summit on 15–16 November 2022.