Royal Netherlands Navy

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is about the Royal Navy of the Netherlands. For other Royal Navies, see Royal Navy (disambiguation).

Royal Netherlands Navy Jack

The Koninklijke Marine (Royal Netherlands Navy ) is the navy of the Netherlands.

[edit] History

[edit] Humble beginnings

Trade and merchants formed the basis of the Dutch economy. In order to protect national interests a navy was indispensable. At first the Dutch navy had a private character, wealthy merchants and regents in the many ports of the republic made their own decisions and took initiative, and incidentally attacked pirates and foreign competitors. Defensive measures to protect the merchant ships could include sailing in a convoy and arming the merchants themselves. Offensive actions could include taking enemy ships by force. This was actively supported by the Dutch authorities in times of war, who send out letters of the marquee which allowed Dutch captains to attack and, preferably, capture enemy ships.

The central authorities tried, in vain, to increase supervision on these, in effect, private owned navies. By decree of Maximillian of Austria, on 8 January 1488 the present Dutch Navy was formed. The role of the navy was now arranged by law and the tasks of defending the country at sea was the responsibility of an admiral who now replaced the sovereign. However many provinces surreptitiously created small navies of their own, without the admiral ever knowing.

[edit] A World Power

The Royal Prince and other vessels at the Four Days Fight, 11–14 June 1666 by Abraham Storck depicts a battle of the Second Anglo-Dutch War. In the foreground the Swiftsure with Berkeley sinks. On the right the grounded Prince Royal with admiral Ayscue surrenders by firing white smoke; de Ruyter on the Zeven Provinciën accepts. In between the Royal Charles can just be seen with a broken mast.

The Dutch revolt (1568-1648) resulted in a better command structure of the Dutch navy. The Dutch government now installed 5 admiralties (de Maze, Amsterdam, Zeeland, the Noorderkwartier, and Friesland) which had offices in Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Middelburg, Hoorn, Enkhuizen, and Dokkum (later Harlingen).

During the 17th century the Dutch republic was involved in countless wars, many of them at sea. The main goal of the Dutch navy was to protect the trade routes and protecting Dutch soil.

Until 1648 Spain was the enemy, a republican fleet destroyed the main part of the entire Spanish navy at Gibraltar in 1607. Other activities included blocking the Flemish coast (to prevent the Spanish troops there from getting supplies) and escorting the Dutch merchants in the Baltic.

In the course of the 17th century Dutch wealth and maritime expansion was the source of much envy across Europe, but especially in England. When they announced the act of navigation, which damaged Dutch traders in London, tensions became high. During the First Anglo-Dutch War English fleet operations were fixed on blocking the Dutch merchant fleet, an example of this is the battle of Dungeness in December 1652, in which Maarten Tromp was able to keep the channel open for Dutch trade. In the second Anglo-Dutch War 5 major battles took place, nearly all of them on English territory. It was during this period that the battle of Chatham (1667) took place, arguably the worst naval defeat in English history until this very day. The third Anglo-Dutch war was in fact a conspiracy between France, England, Cologne and Munster to attack the Netherlands and destroy the Dutch republic as the world’s superpower.

Michiel Adriaenszoon de Ruyter, Lieutenant-Admiral of the United Provinces by Ferdinand Bol, painted 1667

Although the Dutch fleet was the largest of the world at the time, the combined fleet of France and England quickly put the Dutch in a defensive position, but due to the tactical brilliance of Michiel de Ruyter, they managed to inflict so much damage to both fleets during the Dutch nation's zero-hour that the offensive capabilities of France and England were reduced to almost nothing. When the Peace of Westminster was signed it marked the end of the trade wars between the rivals. A new era arrived in which the Dutch stadholder William III was proclaimed King of England in the following decades the Dutch and English successfully fought the ambitious French as allies. The war zone shifted from the North Sea and the channel to the French coast and Mediterranean. At the end of the War of the Spanish succession (1713) the series of wars ended.

At the start of the 17th century the squadrons of the Dutch fleet were reinforced with merchant ships adapted for battle in earlier conflicts. The introduction of the line-tactic increased the demand for ships with a great deal of maneuverability, speed and crew experience. In 1653 the Dutch government decided to build 60 ships, and a 10 years later they placed another order for 60 more. The flagship of the republic, De Zeven Provinciën, was fitted with 96 guns, for comparison, the British HMS Victory build over a century later had only 8 guns more.

With about 4000 sailors at peacetime the Dutch navy was a relatively small employer in the maritime section, except at times of war when thousands of men more were hired. Flag officers and captains were themselves responsible for hiring the ship's crew. Usually a ship's crew were hired for only one campaign, excluding the officers. Since the early 17th century, experienced captains were employed for long periods of time by the Dutch navy; they were responsible for the ships provisions, and when they bought supplies for less money than the government provided they could keep the change, and a smart captain could make a small fortune this way in peacetime.

The crew itself were mostly natives or foreign inhabitants of the many Dutch harbour towns. In 1665 regiments of soldiers came aboard the ships. These soldiers would later became famous and feared: Dutch marines.

[edit] Decline and French domination

In the late 18th century the navy of the Dutch Republic could no longer withstand the navies of Great-Britain and France. An ambitious shipbuilding program in 1780 could not prevent the disastrous 4th Anglo-Dutch War (1780-1784), and at the peace of Paris the Dutch had to allow free passage throughout the East Indies and effectively allowing the British Navy to become the new power of the seas.

Several naval reforms concerning education and marine command structure took place after the Batavian Revolution (1795) and made great changes within the Dutch navy. The federative decentralised naval command was now replaced by a central organisation in The Hague. The warships stayed in the dry-docks, although a number of ships managed to follow William V to Great-Britain; others, like the ships sailing in East Asia, were later joined with the forces of William V.

After the surrender of a naval squadron near the Saldaha bay (1796) and the defeat at the battle of Kamperduin (1797), the surrender of the fleet near the Vlieter in 1799 proved to be the death of the Batavian navy. In the 3 years the Netherlands were a part of Imperial France the navy was unable to operate independently.

[edit] Insurrection

The Netherlands regained their independence and on December 7, 1813, the Dutch navy was once again a part of the Dutch military. Finally in June 1815 France was defeated at the battle of Waterloo by a combined Anglo-Dutch army and its Prussian and German allies. In 1813 the present-day Dutch monarchy, coming forth from the noble line of the stadholders, was installed allowing the Dutch navy to get the predicate "royal", yet this did not happen until 1905.

The Dutch navy in the 19th century experienced a constant shortage of manpower, forcing the government into hiring crew from its colonies; this increased the total employees from 5000 in 1850 to over 10,000 in 1900.

In 1917 the first airplanes were added to the navy and the first women were employed in 1944, but were not exposed to combat until 1980.

After the disappearance of the ship of the line a whole array of ship classes and types were created. The invention of the propeller launched the mass use of steam-propelled ships. Wood was replaced by iron. New developments in the field of artillery increased a gun's range and improve its accuracy. Around 1900 torpedoes and mines created a new dimension in naval warfare.

Between 1783 and 1789 naval squadrons were send to Asia to support the Dutch East India Company. After the bankruptcy of the East India Company Dutch naval tasks shifted greatly towards East Asia, until some 60% of the entire navy was situated there around 1850. Apart from some minor skirmishes with the Southern Netherlands (Belgium) and the bombing of Algiers the Netherlands managed to remain neutral until the Second World War.

[edit] Darkest Hours

Hr.Ms. De Ruyter sunk during the Battle of Java Sea.

During the Second World War, the Dutch navy, due to the relatively quick conquest of the Netherlands by Nazi-Germany, was based in Allied countries: the Dutch navy had their headquarters in London and smaller counterparts in Sri Lanka and Australia.

Around the world Dutch naval units were responsible for troop transport, for example during Operation Dynamo in Dunkirk and D-Day, they escorted convoys and attacked enemy targets. During the war the navy suffered heavy losses, especially in defending the Dutch East Indies, most notably the Battle of the Java Sea in which the commander, Dutchman Karel Doorman, went down with his ships together with 1000 of his crew.

After the war, the relations between the Netherlands and its colonies changed dramatically. The establishment of the Republic of Indonesia 2 days after the Japanese surrender blocked the Dutch plans for recreating colonial authority. It took 4 years of war before the Netherlands acknowledged the existence of Indonesia. The Dutch navy was stationed in New Guinea until it was turned over to the Indonesians in 1962, with the Indonesian promise that the native Papuans would be given independence if a referendum indicated that they wanted it, although the referendum never came.

[edit] Cold War and NATO cooperation

Hr.Ms. Karel Doorman later sold to Argentina and renamed Veinticinco de Mayo.

With the creation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, the military focus was on the army and air force; it was not until the Korean War (1950-1953) that the navy got more recognition. The government allowed the creation of a balanced fleet consisting of 2 naval squadrons. Apart from the aircraft carrier Hr.Ms. Karel Doorman the Dutch navy consisted of 2 cruisers, 12 torpedo boats, 8 submarines and a large amount of minesweepers.

As a NATO member the Netherlands developed its safety policy in close cooperation with other members. The establishment of the Warsaw pact in 1955 really got the arms race between West and East going. Technical innovations rapidly emerged, the introduction of radar and sonar were followed by nuclear weapon systems and long-range missiles. This clear enemy allowed for a fixed military strategy. From 1965 onwards the Netherlands joined certain permanent NATO squadrons like the Standing Naval Force Atlantic.

[edit] The Contemporary Navy

After the fall of the Berlin wall in November 1989 the international military situation changed drastically. Globally new conflicts emerged and the borders between friend and foe seemed to gradually fade. NATO's reorientation of the organisations goals created a more prominent role for the United Nations as international peacekeepers. From 1990 onwards NATO units were engaged in conflicts in Cambodia, Eritrea and Ethiopia but also the Gulf War and the Yugoslavian conflict. The new goals of the Dutch navy were now changed to an expeditionary peacekeeping and peace enforcing force.

[edit] Current structure

The constituent parts of the Royal Netherlands Navy are:

[edit] Naval squadron

6 Frigates:

4 De Zeven Provinciën class frigates (LCF, officially classified as frigates but in size and role they could be classified as destroyers)
5 "Karel Doorman" M-Frigates
- HNLMS Van Speijk (F828)
- HNLMS Van Amstel (F831)
- HNLMS Willem van der Zaan (F 829)
- HNLMS Van Nes (F 833)
- HNLMS Van Galen (F 834)

Two other frigates of this class were built but these were sold to Chile (F830 and F832). Four more will be delivered to Belgium (F827 and F829) and Portugal (F833 and F834) in 2007-2009. Karel Doorman is decommissioned waiting for delivery next year.

2 Rotterdam Class LPD Amphibious Transport Ships
- HNLMS Rotterdam (L800)
- HNLMS Johan de Witt (L801) (under construction to enter service in 2007)
2 Replenishment Ships
- HNLMS Zuiderkruis (A832)
- HNLMS Amsterdam (A836)

[edit] Submarine service

4 Walrus class Diesel/electric submarines.
- HNLMS Walrus (S802)
- HNLMS Zeeleeuw (S803)
- HNLMS Dolfijn (S808)
- HNLMS Bruinvis (S810)
1 Torpedo recovery ship
- HNLMS Mercuur (A900)

[edit] Mine Detection and Clearing Service

10 Alkmaar class mine hunters (HNLMS Haarlem M853, HNLMS Hellevoetsluis M856, HNLMS Maassluis M857, HNLMS Makkum M858, HNLMS Middelburg M859, HNLMS Schiedam M860, HNLMS Urk M861, HNLMS Vlaardingen M862, HNLMS Willemstad M863)

3 to be converted to control vessels for mine-sweep drones, 14 of which will be acquired)

4 diving support vessels.
- HNLMS Cerberus (A851)
- HNLMS Argus (A852)
- HNLMS Nautilus (A853)
- HNLMS Hydra (A854)

[edit] Hydrographical Survey

2 hydrographical survey ships.
- HNLMS Snellius (A802)
- HNLMS Luymes (A803)

[edit] Other ships

2 training ships
- HNLMS Van Kinsbergen (A902)
- HNLMS Urania (Y8050) (Sailing naval training vessel)
5 large tugs.
7 harbour tugs.
17 landing craft (Used by the Netherlands Marine Corps.)
1 logistic support vessel for the Netherlands Antilles
1 inshore tanker
4 patrol cutters for the Netherlands Antilles

[edit] Netherlands Marine Corps

1 Brigade (group operational units marines - GOEM) consisting of 6 battalions
- 3 operational marine battalions (MARNSBAT1,2,3)
- 1 reserve marine battalion (MARNSBAT 4)
- 1 combat support battalion (GEVSTBAT)
- 1 logistical battalion (LOGBAT)
- 1 Amphibious support battalion (AMFOSTBAT)

[edit] Naval Air Service

2 helicopter squadrons (21 helicopters, Westland Lynx)

[edit] Coast Guard

Although the Coast Guard is not anoffical part of the Navy, it is under its operational control.

[edit] Future changes

Changes are planned according to plans of the Dutch Secretary of Defense as of October 14, 2005:

Purchase of 4 Corvettes/Patrol boats
Purchase of 30 (max.) Tomahawk block IV (TacTom) cruise missiles for two LCF frigates
Purchase NH-90 helicopters to replace the Lynx helicopters currently in use
Purchase New improved replenishment ship/joint support ship to replace the Zuiderkruis
Investigate future opportunities for Walrus Class submarines
Upgrading two Zeven Provinciën class LCF frigates Theatre Ballistic Missile Defense

[edit] Tomahawks

On October 14, 2005, the Government of the Netherlands decided to buy 30 Tomahawks from Raytheon. The Netherlands will be the third country to use the Tomahawk Block IV cruise missile.

[edit] Some ships

Hr. Ms. De Zeven Provinciën (F802)	Hr.Ms. Tromp (F803)	Hr.Ms. De Ruyter (F804)	Hr.Ms. Evertsen (F805)
Hr.Ms. Karel Doorman (F827)	Hr.Ms. Willem van der Zaan (F829)	Hr.Ms. Tjerk Hiddes (F830)	Hr.Ms. Van Amstel (F831)
Hr.Ms. Van Nes (F833)	Hr.Ms. Van Galen (F834)	Hr.Ms. Van Speijk (F828)	Hr.Ms. Walrus (S802)
Hr.Ms. Zeeleeuw (S803)	Hr.Ms. Dolfijn (S808)	Hr.Ms.Bruinvis (S810)	Hr.Ms.Mercuur (A900)
Hr.Ms. Rotterdam (L800)	Hr.Ms. Maassluis (M853)	Hr.Ms. Middelburg (M858)	Hr.Ms. Vlaardingen (M863)