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One of the main tasks of the Royal Netherlands Navy will always remain the protection of Dutch territory and that of our allies. The navy also protects the territory and territorial waters of the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba. To carry out these territorial tasks, there is a permanent naval presence in the Caribbean.
The Netherlands safeguards its own security and independence by co-operating with other countries. Accordingly, the Netherlands was one of the first countries to become a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). Each NATO member has expressed its willingness to contribute to the security of all the other states. NATO forces are responsible for the security and defence of the North Atlantic, the North Sea, the English Channel, the Norwegian Sea, the western section of the Baltic Sea and the Mediterranean. Royal Netherlands Navy frigates form a permanent part of NATO naval units. The Standing NATO Response Force ( NRF) Maritime Group 1, Standing NRF Maritime Group 2 and the two Standing Mine Counter Measures Groups are the maritime component of the NATO Response Force. The NATO Response Force is a rapidly deployable, fully integrated combined land, sea and air force able to respond to a wide variety of operational commitments and missions anywhere in the world.
Crisis management and non-article 5 crisis response operations
The Dutch armed forces and those of our allies carry out combined crisis management and non-article 5 crisis response operations. The main aim of these combined operations is the prevention of armed conflicts.
Royal Netherlands Navy vessels are excellently suited to be deployed in such operations, since they are able to operate independently for extended periods of time, anywhere in the world. They can do so without crossing any borders, as most of the world's seas are part of international waters. Furthermore, units of the Marine Corps can be deployed for operations on land or for amphibious operations, on the border between land and sea. With regard to amphibious operations, the Marine Corps has worked in co-operation with the United Kingdom for the past 25 years. The Royal Netherlands Navy, including the Marine Corps, has proved its worth in crisis management and non-article 5 crisis response operations on numerous occasions.
Providing support to civil authorities
Where possible, the Royal Netherlands Navy provides support to civil authorities at home and abroad. This often concerns law enforcement, disaster relief or humanitarian aid. The Coastguard in the Netherlands and the Caribbean is under the operational command of the Royal Netherlands Navy. The Coastguard co-ordinates rescue operations, enforces shipping regulations, inspects fishing vessels, monitors violations of environmental regulations and combats illegal activities such as drug smuggling.
The Royal Netherlands Navy is also tasked with explosive ordnance disposal, for instance sea mines from the Second World War. Lastly, the navy carries out hydrographic measurements. These are used, for instance, to compile sea charts for both professional and recreational use at sea.
A summary of our tasks
- Protection of our territory and that of our allies
- Protection of the territory of the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba
- Maintaining the freedom of the seas
- Protection and support of Dutch interests, anywhere in the world
- Upholding the international legal order and respecting human rights
- Providing support to civil authorities regarding law enforcement, disaster relief and humanitarian aid, both at home and abroad
Expeditionary capability
The operational units of the Royal Netherlands Navy are able to carry out missions anywhere in the world, independently and over a long period of time. This is the so-called "expeditionary capability". 'Independently' refers to the fact that the units are logistically entirely independent of the area in which they operate. All materiel, food and other necessities are on board and can be resupplied from the Netherlands. Expeditionary capability plays an important role in the tasks of both the naval vessels and the units of the Marine Corps.
Amphibious Maritime Force
Navy vessels seldom operate alone, but are usually part of a task group. A task group comprises the exact personnel and materiel with which the task can be carried out most efficiently. For each different task a special task group is formed. A task group may be supplemented with units from the Maritime Helicopter Group and the Submarine Service, if required. A fast combat support ship can also be included in the task group, to increase its endurance. Finally, an amphibious transport ship may augment the task group with a Marine Corps battalion.
The frigates, the fast combat support ships and the amphibious transport ship together form the Task Group, the backbone of the entire fleet. All frigates are equipped with the Harpoon weapon system for use against surface targets, the NATO Sea Sparrow for airborne targets up to a distance of 8 miles, the torpedo for anti-submarine warfare and a Goalkeeper 30 mm rapid-fire gun system for close-in air defence. Almost all of the navy's ships also have a helicopter deck and often have a flight unit embarked with a Lynx helicopter (to be replaced with the NH-90 helicopter).
Depending on the task of the ship, the specific weapons on board may vary. For instance, the newest air defence and command frigates' and the air defence frigates' weaponry includes the Standard Missile 2 for use against airborne targets up to a distance of 25 miles. The multi-purpose and standard class frigates have an Oto Melara 76 mm gun for air and surface targets.
Squadron ships:
- De Zeven Provinciën class air defence and command frigates (4 in total)
- Karel Doorman class multi-purpose frigates (6 in total)
- Landing Platform Dock (1+1 under contract)
- Fast combat support ships (2)
- Walrus class conventional submarines (4)
Zeven Provinciën Class Air Defence and Command Frigates
HNLMS De Zeven Provinciën (F802) is the Royal Netherlands Navy's first air defence and command frigate (LCF), and entered service in early 2002. The navy is to have a total of four ships of this class, the other three being Tromp, De Ruyter and Evertsen. The last LCF will become operational in 2005. The new LCF is also the Royal Netherlands Navy's new flagship, for which purpose it has a special command and control room. The ship is also equipped for air defence and has a characteristic 'stealth'-like construction. Because the ship has no right angles, it is much less detectable by radar than other ships of comparable size.
The ships have been built at the Royal Schelde Group shipyards in Flushing.
| Technical data of the air defence and command frigates |
| Displacement |
6,050 tons |
| Dimensions (length x beam) |
144 x 18.8 metres |
| Draught |
5 metres |
| Speed |
30 knots |
| Propulsion |
- 2 Stork Wärtsilä diesels, 13,600 HP in total
- 2 Rolls Royce gas turbines, 52,300 HP in total
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| Complement |
204 |
| Armament |
- Oto Breda 127 mm gun for surface and airborne targets
- Vertical Launch System (VLS) Mk 41, for Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile and Standard Missile 2 Block III
- Harpoon anti-ship weapon system
- Goalkeeper 30 mm rapid-fire gun for close-in air defence
- Torpedo weapon system for anti-submarine operations
- Lynx helicopter for anti-submarine operations and surface reconnaissance
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