| Royal Netherlands Navy | |
|---|---|
| Koninklijke Marine | |
 Emblem of the Royal Netherlands Navy | |
| Founded | 8 January 1488; 537 years ago (1488-01-08) |
| Country |  Netherlands |
| Type | Navy |
| Size | 12,411 personnel (2025)[1]
19 helicopters: NH90 NFH |
| Part of | Netherlands Armed Forces |
| Headquarters | Den Helder |
| Mottos | Veiligheid op en vanuit zee Security on and from the sea. |
| March | Defileermars der Koninklijke Marine (Royal Netherlands Navy Service Marchpast) |
| Engagements | Eighty Years' War Dutch–Portuguese War Anglo-Dutch Wars War of the Spanish Succession War of the Quadruple Alliance French Revolutionary Wars World War II Indonesian National Revolution Korean War Battle of Arafura Sea Operation Prosperity Guardian |
| Commanders | |
| Commander | Vice-AdmiralHarold Liebregs[2] |
| Deputy commander | Major General Rob de Wit |
| Notable commanders | Michiel de Ruyter,Piet Hein,Maarten Tromp |
| Insignia | |
| Flag |  |
| Naval ensign |  |
| Naval jack |  |
| Pennant | .svg) .svg) |
| Logo |  |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Patrol | NH90 NFH |
TheRoyal Netherlands Navy (Dutch:Koninklijke Marine,pronounced[ˈkoːnɪŋkləkəmaːˈrinə], meaning 'Royal Navy') is themaritime service branch of theNetherlands Armed Forces.[3][4] It traces its history to 8 January 1488,[5] making it thethird-oldest navy in the world.
During the 17th and early 18th centuries, theDutch States Navy was one of the most powerful navies in the world and played an active role in theAnglo-Dutch Wars,Franco-Dutch War,Nine Years' War andWar of the Spanish Succession. However, by the late 18th century it had declined through neglect and was no longer a match for either theBritish orFrench navies. TheBatavian Navy andnavy of the Kingdom of Holland played an active role in theFrench Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, though both were repeatedly yoked to French interests.
Officially formed in 1813 after theSovereign Principality of the United Netherlands was established, the Royal Netherlands Navy played an important role in protecting theDutch East Indies, and would play a minor role inWorld War II, where it fought against theImperial Japanese Navy. SinceWorld War II, the Royal Netherlands Navy has taken part in several peacekeeping missions, and frequently participates inEuropean Union andNATO operations and exercises.
The international prefix for ships of the Royal Netherlands Navy is HNLMS (His/Her Netherlands Majesty's Ship).[6] The Netherlands navy itself uses the prefixes Zr.Ms. (Dutch:Zijner Majesteits,lit. 'His Majesty's') when a King is on the throne, and Hr.Ms. (Dutch:Harer Majesteits,lit. 'Her Majesty's') when there is a Queen. Changes happen automatically at the end of a monarch's reign.[7]
The modern Netherlands Navy dates its founding to a "statute of admiralty" issued byMaximilian, King of the Romans (future Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I), and his sonPhilip the Fair, the ruler ofBurgundian lands (a minor at that time) on 8 January 1488.[8][a]
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The Netherlands navy was involved in several wars against other European powers from the late 16th century, initially for independence against Spain in European waters, later for shipping lanes, trade and colonies in many parts of the world, notably during theAnglo-Dutch Wars. During the 17th century theDutch States Navy was one of the most powerful navies in the world. As an organization, the Dutch navy consisted of five separate admiralties (three of them inHolland, and one each inFriesland andZeeland), each with its own ships, personnel, shipyards, command structures and revenues.[9]
At the start of WW2 the Dutch had five cruisers, eight destroyers, 24 submarines, and smaller vessels, along with 50 aircraft. The Netherlands was conquered in 1940 byNazi Germany in a matter of days, and two Dutchlight cruisers and onedestroyer leader and threedestroyers that were under construction were captured in theirshipyard.
For the rest of the war, the Dutch navy was based inAllied countries: the Dutch navy had its headquarters inLondon, and smaller units inCeylon (modern daySri Lanka) andWestern Australia. Around the world Dutch naval units were responsible for transporting troops, for example duringOperation Dynamo at Dunkirk and onD-Day, they escorted convoys and attacked enemy targets. Dutch submarines scored some victories, including one on aKriegsmarineU-boatU-95 in theMediterranean Sea, which was sunk byO 21, but during the war the Dutch Navy suffered heavy losses, particularly in thePacific Theatre.
A small force ofsubmarines based in Western Australia sank more Japanese ships in the first weeks after Japan joined the war than the entire British and American navies together during the same period, an exploit which earnedAdmiral Helfrich the nickname "Ship-a-day Helfrich".[10] The aggressive pace of operations against the Japanese was a contributing factor to both the heavy losses sustained and the greater number of successes scored as compared to the British and Americans in the region.
But during the relentless Japanese offensive of February through April 1942 in the Dutch East Indies, the Dutch navy in Asia was virtually annihilated, particularly in theBattle of the Java Sea (27 February 1942) in which the commander,Karel Doorman, went down with his fleet along with 1,000 sailors. The Navy sustained losses of a total of 20 ships (including two of its three light cruisers) and 2,500 sailors killed in the course of the campaign.[11] The Dutch navy had suffered from years of underfunding and came ill-prepared to face an enemy with more and heavier ships with better weapons, including theLong Lance-torpedo, with which the cruiserHaguro sank the light cruiserHNLMS De Ruyter.[12]
After the war, the relations between the Netherlands and its colonies changed dramatically. The establishment of theRepublic of Indonesia, two days after the Japanese surrender, thwarted the Dutch plans for restoring colonial authority. After four years of conflict the Netherlands acknowledged the independence of Indonesia.
Part of the Dutch Navy was next stationed inNetherlands New Guinea until that, too, was turned over to theIndonesian government in 1962. This followed a campaign of infiltrations by theIndonesian National Armed Forces, supported by modern equipment from theSoviet Union, that was nevertheless successfully repulsed by the Dutch navy. These infiltrations took place after the order of PresidentSukarno to integrate the territory as an Indonesian province.
The Navy has participated in joint European Union naval operations and exercises. Tenseparate Dutch vessels have contributed to theEU Naval Force Operation Atalanta, combating Somali piracy forces in the Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea, and Indian Ocean since 2009. The last vessel was sent in 2018; since then the Navy has only contributed staff and advisors to the mission.[13][14]
With the creation of theNorth Atlantic Treaty Organization, the military focus was on the army and air force; it was not until theKorean War (1950–1953) that the navy got more recognition. The government allowed the creation of a balanced fleet consisting of two naval squadrons. Apart from theaircraft carrierHNLMS Karel Doorman the Dutch navy consisted of twolight cruisers (twoDe Zeven Provinciën class), 12destroyers (fourHolland class, eightFriesland class), eightsubmarines, sixfrigates (van Speijk-class frigates), and a considerable number ofminesweepers.
As a member ofNATO, the Netherlands developed its security policy in close cooperation with other members. The establishment of theWarsaw Pact in 1955 intensified the arms race between West and East. Technical innovations rapidly emerged, the introduction of radar and sonar were followed bynuclear weapon systems and long-range missiles. The geopolitical situation allowed for a fixed military strategy. Beginning in 1965, the Dutch Navy joined certain permanent NATO squadrons like theStanding Naval Force Atlantic[citation needed].
The constituent parts of the Royal Netherlands Navy are:
Contains all surface combatants, replenishment ships, and amphibious support ships.
Houses the submarines and a support vessel.
Contains various minehunters.
TheHydrographic Service is responsible for relevant hydrographic surveys.[15]
Provides healthcare to personnel of the Royal Netherlands Navy.[16][17]
The Directorate of Materiel Sustainment is responsible for the maintenance of ships, submarines and systems.[18][19]
Two squadrons equipped withNH90 NFH helicopter based atDe Kooy Airfield.
Command of the Royal Netherlands Navy that is responsible for national defense and international law enforcement in theDutch Caribbean.[20][21][22]
Although theNetherlands Coastguard is not an official part of the Navy, it is under its operational control. Also theDutch Caribbean Coast Guard is under the operational control of the Navy and is commanded by the commander of the Navy in theCaribbean.
| Aircraft | Origin | Type | Coastguard base | In service | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bombardier Dash 8 MPA | Canada | Patrol /SAR | Schiphol - The Netherlands | 2[23] | |
| Bombardier Dash 8 MPA | Canada | Patrol / SAR | HATO - Curaçao Dutch Caribbean | 2 | |
| AgustaWestland AW169 | Italy | SAR /Transport | HATO - Curaçao Dutch Caribbean | 2 | |
| AgustaWestland AW189 | Italy | SAR | Den Helder & Midden Zeeland - The Netherlands | 3[24] | Operated byBristow Group. |
The main naval base,Nieuwe Haven Naval Base is situated inDen Helder,North Holland. Secondary bases are situated around Den Helder, as well as inAmsterdam, andWillemstad on the Caribbean island of (Curaçao), Usage rights are also in place for port facilities inRotterdam,Vlissingen andEemshaven. TheNetherlands Marine Corps has barracks in Rotterdam,Doorn,Texel and Den Helder, as well as in the Caribbean atSuffisant on Curaçao, andSavaneta onAruba.[25][26] There is alsoPointe Blanche Naval Support Point in Sint Maarten.[27][28]
Officers of the Nederland Navy are trained at the Royal Naval Institute (Koninklijk Instituut voor de Marine), which is part of the Netherlands defence academy (Nederlandse Defensie Academie) inDen Helder.[29]Around 100-120 people start training every year.
The Royal Netherlands Navy currently operates 7 main classes of vessels:Note: in the Royal Netherlands Navy frigates are interchangeable with destroyers as there is no separate class
| Type ship | Defence White Paper 1974 | Defence White Paper 1984 | Priority Document 1993 | Navy study 2005 | Economize 2011 | Defence White Paper 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LC frigates | 4 | 4 | 4 | |||
| M frigates | 4 | 8 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| GW frigates | 2 | 2 | 2 | |||
| L frigates | 1 | 2 | 2 | |||
| S frigates | 12 | 10 | 6 | |||
| MLM frigates | 6 | |||||
| Frigates | 25 | 22 | 18 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Patrol ships | 4 | 4 | 4 | |||
| Submarine | 6 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Supply ships | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | |
| LPD | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | ||
| JSS | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||
| Minehunters | 15 | 15 | 15 | 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Minesweepers | 11 | 11 | ||||
| Total ships | 59 | 56 | 40 | 28 | 23 | 24 |
| LRMP aircraft | 21 | 13 | 13 | |||
| Helicopters | 36 | 30 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 |
| Total aircraft | 57 | 43 | 33 | 20 | 20 | 20 |
The Royal Netherlands Navy classifies theDe Zeven Provinciën-class as frigates, but internationally they are most comparable to destroyers (due to their size and weapon capability) platform for Sea Based Anti-Ballistic Missile defence
| Class | Photo | Type | Number | Dates | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walrus class |  | Submarine | 3 | 1994 | Multi-purpose diesel-electric powered hunter-killer submarines for deep ocean, brown water & special forces operations. SLEP 2015-2019, two being phased out early (Walrus decommissioned in 2023); entire class to be replaced by 4 new subs starting in 2034.[30][31][32][33] |
| De Zeven Provinciën class | .jpg) | Frigate | 4 | 2002 | Mainly anti-air warfare with BMD capability with extensive command & communication facilities, being upgraded. |
| Karel Doorman class | .jpg) | Frigate | 2 | 1994 | 8 initially built for the Royal Netherlands Navy, pairs of ships subsequently sold to the Belgian, Portuguese and Chilean navies. Belgian and Dutch M-Class frigates received extensive upgrades such as an extended helicopter deck and new advanced sensors and improvements in stealthiness. Will be replaced in Dutch- & Belgian Navy in 2028-2030. |
| Holland class |  | Offshore patrol vessel | 4 | 2011 | Ocean patrols. |
| Galatea |  | Patrol vessel | 1 | 2025 | Temporarily leased from Damen by the Dutch Ministry of Defence and will be used by the RNLN until the Multifunctional Support Ships enter service in 2027.[34][35] |
| Alkmaar class |  | Minehunter | 3 | 1989 | Originally a class of 15 ships, will be replaced starting 2025.[36] 2 will be donated to theUkrainian Navy in 2024 and 2025. 3 will be donated to theBulgarian Navy in 2027-2028.[37][38] |
| Zr.Ms. Den Helder |  | Combat Support Ship | 1 | 2025 | Fleet Replenishment ship. |
| Karel Doorman class |  | Joint logistic support ship | 1 | 2014 | Combined amphibious operations/seabased helicopter platform & fleet replenishing, capable of supporting AH-64E / CH-47F / NH90 NFH operations. |
| Rotterdam &Johan de Witt class | .jpg) | Landing platform dock | 2 | 1998 / 2007 | Troop & equipment transport, helicopter platform with command & communication & hospital facilities. |
| Mk.II (NL) class |  | Landing craft utility | 5 | 2005 | L9528 converted to Mk.III standards, rest to follow. |
| Mk.V C (NL) class | .jpg) | Landing craft vehicle personnel | 12 | 2008 | Will be replaced from 2025 onwards with 12 new LCVP's and 8 larger Littoral Craft Mobility (LCM). |
| Hydrograaf |  | Expeditionary survey boat | 1 | 2021 | Carried in adavit on board a Rotterdam-class landing platform dock or HNLMS Karel Doorman to itswork area. |
| Pelikaan class |  | Multi-purpose logistic support vessel | 1 | 2006 | Multi-purpose logistic & amphibious support vessel based in Dutch Caribbean, will be replaced in 2030. |
| Snellius class |  | Hydrographic surveyvessel | 2 | 2004 | Multi-purpose hydrographic survey vessels, will be replaced in 2030. |
| Mercuur class |  | Submarine support vessel | 1 | 1987 | Submarine support vessel & MCM command, upgraded in 2017 and will be replaced in 2028. |
| Cerberus class |  | Diving support vessel | 4 | 1992 | Multi-purpose diving support vessels & harbour protection, will be replaced by 2026. |
| Soemba class |  | Diving support vessel | 1 | 1989 | Diving training- & support vessel, will be replaced 2026. |
| Van Kinsbergen training ship |  | Training ship | 1 | 1999 | Training ship, will be replaced in 2026. |
| Urania |  | Training ship | 1 | 2004 | Sailing naval training ship. |
| Geosea |  | Mine countermeasures vessel | 1 | 2020 | Civilian ship that the RNN leased from the company N-Sea to test, and make personnel familiar with, components of the new Mine Countermeasures-toolbox that will be used on the futureVlissingen class.[39][40][41] |
| Strategic Transport | Roll-on/roll-off | 2 | 2022 | Two civilian ships leased for 10 years to provide Strategic Sealift Capability for the Dutch military, the MV New Amsterdam (2022)[42] & MV Southern Rock (2024).[43] | |
| Damen Stan Patrol 2005 | .jpg) | Patrol / Training | 3 | 2014 | Multifunctional ships. |
| Noorderhaaks class |  | Harbour patrol boat | 2 | 2015 | Used primarily to patrol the Nieuwe Haven Naval Base and its surroundings. |
| Noordzee class |  | Coastal / Harbour tug | 3 | 2016 | Damen ASD2810 Hybrid. |
| Linge class | .jpg) | Coastal / Harbour tug | 1 | 1997 | Gouwe commissioned a decade later after the rest of the class. |
| Bolder class |  | Harbour tug | 3 | 2023 | Replaced theSchelde class tugs. |
| Breezand class | .jpg) | Harbour tug | 2 | 1989 | Also known in Dutch as theWerf class. |
The total tonnage will be approx. 140,000 tonnes. Next to these ships a lot of other smaller vessels remain in the navy.
With these changes the Royal Netherlands Navy will have 10 large oceangoing vessels ranging from medium/low to high combat action ships. The renewed Dutch Navy will be agreen-water navy, having enough frigates and auxiliaries to operate far out at sea, while depending on land-based air support, and, with the large amphibious squadron, they will have significantbrown-water navy capabilities.
Since the retirement of the Westland Lynx, the Royal Netherlands Air Force fills the gap of the Lynx's amphibious task with Airbus AS-532U2 Cougar helicopters. The Cougar's main task is to support the Royal Netherlands Marine Corps on board of the LPD's and JSS. Other tasks are to provide Medical air transport to and from these ships, but also support SOF units in amphibious missions and trainings.
In 2012 anAH-64D Apache attack helicopter from theRoyal Netherlands Air Force made a deck landing on boardHNLMS Rotterdam for the first time as part of an initial study into the possibilities for wider use of the helicopters as these will be upgraded to the AH-64E standard which has specific features for maritime operations.
The Dutch amphibious support shipHNLMS Johan de Witt and the JSSHNLMSKarel Doorman are designed to handle Royal Netherlands Air Force CH-47FChinook helicopters but still require additional anti corrosion measures (part of the ongoing upgrade of the CH-47F).
| Name | Origin | Type | Number | Photo | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saab Skeldar V-200 |  Sweden | ISR / Surveillance | 10 |  | |
| Airboxer[45] | Netherlands | VTOLUAV[46] | On 14 May 2024 it was reported that High Eye will deliver its Airboxer VTOL UAV to the Dutch navy.[47] | ||
| Seafox |  Germany | UUV | [48] | ||
| REMUS |  United States | AUV | [49][50] | ||
| K-Ster C |  France | UUV | [51][52] | ||
| V-BAT[53] | United States | VTOL UAV | 8[54] | [55] | |
| Blueye ROV |  Norway | ROV | [56] |
| Name | Photo | Origin | Type | Number | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bronto F61 RPX Scania P500 B10×4 6NA |  |  Finland | Firefighting truck | 1 | [57][58][59][60] Equipped with Bronto RPX 61 superstructure to reach 61m height. |
| DAF CF 410 FAN 560 6×2 | — | Netherlands | Swap body vehicle with crane for Dutch marines firefighters | 3 | [61] |
| Ford Transit | — | Germany | Utility vehicles | 1 | [61] |
In April 2018, the Dutch Government approved a multi-year investment programme and allocated funds for the 2018–2030 period, including:
Together with the United States and several otherNATO members, the Dutch Navy is testing and updating its ships forTactical ballistic missile defense capability. Although tests conducted concerning the capability of the APAR (Active Phased Array Radar) have been very successful, in 2018 the Dutch Government approved plans to acquire the SM-3 missiles for integration into the existing weapon suite of the LCF frigates. The four LCF ships will be fitted out with eight SM-3 missiles each (they are provisioned for this VLS extension) through Foreign Military Sales (under discussion between the US and The Netherlands).
Surviving historic ships
| NATO code | OF-10 | OF-9 | OF-8 | OF-7 | OF-6 | OF-5 | OF-4 | OF-3 | OF-2 | OF-1 | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Royal Netherlands Navy[75][76] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Luitenant-Admiraal | Vice-Admiraal | Schout-bij-Nacht | Commandeur | Kapitein ter zee | Kapitein-luitenant ter zee | Luitenant ter zee der 1ste klasse | Luitenant ter zee der 2de klasse oudste categorie | Luitenant ter zee der 2de klasse | Luitenant ter zee der 3de klasse | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Abbreviation (stnd) | LAdm | VAdm | SBN | Cdr | KTZ | KLTZ | LTZ1 | LTZ2OC | LTZ2 | LTZ3 | SgtADB | KplADB | ADB | |||||||||||||||||
| NATO code | OR-9 | OR-8 | OR-7 | OR-6 | OR-5 | OR-4 | OR-3 | OR-2 | OR-1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Netherlands Navy[75][76] |  |  |  |  |  |  | No insignia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Adjudant-onderofficier/ Opperschipper | Sergeant-majoor/ Schipper | Sergeant/ Bootsman | Korporaal/ Kwartiermeester | Matroos der 1e klasse | Matroos der 2e klasse | Matroos der 3e klasse | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Insignia worn by theMonarch of the Netherlands when wearing the uniform of the Royal Netherlands Navy.
| Royal Netherlands Navy[77] |  |
|---|
