In the early 1970s, the Royal Netherlands Navy developed a 'Standard' frigate design to replace the destroyers of the Holland- and Friesland-classes.

[1] Van Kinsbergen's main anti-aircraft armament was an 8-round NATO Sea Sparrow surface-to-air missile launcher in front of the bridge.

Goalkeeper was not available when the ships were built, however, and Van Kinsbergen was completed with a Bofors 40 mm L/60 anti-aircraft gun in its place.

A hangar and fight deck were fitted to accommodate two Westland Lynx helicopters, although only one was normally carried.

Van Kinsbergen and the frigates De Ruyter, Callenburgh, Jan van Brakel, and the replenishment ship Poolster departed from Den Helder on 13 January 1986 for a trip to the Far East to show the flag and promote Dutch trade.

], the ship participated in a rescue mission to assist MS Norman Atlantic after it caught fire.