The Netherlands

Like most European military forces, the Dutch Armed Forces experienced budget cuts after the end of the Cold War. For almost 13 years, between 1990-2002 the Dutch defence budget was either reduced or kept stable. During the period 2003-2008 the defence budget was dramatically increased by 67.5%. Then from 2009 to 2015 the defence budget was reduced from 12.375 billion dollars in 2008 to 8.668 billion dollars in 2015.

Although over the last 10 years there has been a deterioration of the regional security environment (growing tensions with Russia regarding Ukraine, the shooting down of Malaysian flight MH17, the civil war in Syria, and the rise of ISIS in Syria and Iraq), Dutch governments did not increase the Defence budget.

This only changed in 2016 when the government of the Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte announced an increase of the defence budget. The new policy was implemented by the second government of Mark Rutte, which took office in October 2017. According to the government programme, the country will spend 1.5 billion Euros extra every year on defence, on top of the original spending budget. This new policy started in 2018 and will be implemented gradually. According to the White Paper of the Ministry of Defence for 2018, the Netherlands will spend an extra 910 million Euros on the top of the original Defence Budget of 8.784 billion

 

 

Defence

Like most European military forces, the Dutch Armed Forces experienced budget cuts after the end of the Cold War. For almost 13 years, between 1990-2002 the Dutch defence budget was either reduced or kept stable. During the period 2003-2008 the defence budget was dramatically increased by 67.5%. Then from 2009 to 2015 the defence budget was reduced from 12.375 billion dollars in 2008 to 8.668 billion dollars in 2015. 

As a percentage of GDP, the Dutch defence budget was reduced from 2.369% in 1990 to 1.446% in 2002. This was followed by a marginal increase in 2003 when it reached 1.461% of GDP. Since that year the Dutch defence budget as a percentage of GDP was further reduced to 1.144% in 2015, its lowest point ever. It is important to mention that even after the increase of the defence Budget the Netherlands do not meet the 2% of GDP spending goal agreed within NATO in 2014.

The size of the Dutch Armed Forces was also reduced after the end of the Cold War. Active troop strength shrank from over 105,000 in 1989 to 36,500 in 2016, while 404 of the total 445 Leopard 2A4/A5/A6 of the Dutch Army were gradually sold to five countries all over the world and their remaining 41 tanks were disposed of in 2011.

Today the Dutch Army has taken 16 Leopard 2A6 out of storage and 18 more Leopard 2A6MA2 have been leased from Germany for a new tank squadron as part of a German-Dutch 414th tank battalion of the 43rd Dutch Mechanized Brigade integrated into the 1st German Panzer Division. At present the Dutch Armed Forces cannot simultaneously deploy a provincial reconstruction team in southern Afghanistan and deploy 1,300 troops elsewhere in the world, a capability that was available to them between 2006 and 2010.

Although over the last 10 years there has been a deterioration of the regional security environment (growing tensions with Russia regarding Ukraine, the shooting down of Malaysian flight MH17, the civil war in Syria, and the rise of ISIS in Syria and Iraq), Dutch governments did not increase the Defence budget. This only changed in 2016 when the government of the Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte announced an increase of the defence budget. The new policy was implemented by the second government of Mark Rutte, which took office in October 2017. According to the government programme, the country will spend 1.5 billion Euros extra every year on defence, on top of the original spending budget. This new policy started in 2018 and will be implemented gradually.

According to the White Paper of the Ministry of Defence for 2018, the Netherlands will spend an extra 910 million Euros on the top of the original Defence Budget of 8.784 billion Euros for:

a) support of the Armed Forces,

b) investments in the modernisation of the Armed Forces,

c) enhancement of striking power, cyber capabilities and employment practices and

d) intensification of Dutch Caribbean coastguard.

The original budget and extra spending of the Dutch Ministry of Defence for the years 2019-2021 is shown in the table below:

Year

Original Budget

Extra Spending

2019

8.882 billion Euros

1.210 million Euros

2020

8.828 billion Euros

1.410 million Euros

2021

8.596 billion Euros

1.510 million Euros

Additionally the Dutch Ministry of Defence has prepared an investment and modernization programme for the Armed Forces for the years 2018-2033 (Ministry of Defence 2018 Defence White Paper Investing in our people, capabilities and visibility)

The extra defence funding involved will help the Ministry of Defence to fulfil the three main targets of the Dutch Security and Defence Policy, which are to:

a) remain safe in the Kingdom of the Netherlands, EU and NATO territory

b) foster security in Europe’s neighbouring regions, (the Middle East, North Africa and parts of sub-Saharan Africa and West Africa).

c) secure connections from the Netherlands as a hub and its lines of communication.

The possible threats that the Netherlands face or will have to deal with in the near future are:

a) social disruption such as effects of terrorism, cyber-attacks, foreign interference and irregular migration,

b) the fragile situation in Venezuela, as well as drug trafficking and natural disasters in the Caribbean,

c) the modernization and strengthening of the Russian Armed Forces, increasing military activity and hybrid threat,

d) unstable security situations and conflicts, such as in the Middle East, North Africa and parts of sub Saharan Africa and West Africa,

e) new technologies that can be used for warfare: artificial intelligence, big data analytics, quantum computing, robotics, biotechnology, 3D printing,

f) a combination of misleading, undermining and overtly disruptive activities. (The threat of hybrid warfare is posed primarily by state actors),

g) the increasing risk of the use of chemical, biological, radiological and/or nuclear weapons.

The Netherlands has to balance its engrained loyalty to NATO, with its EU defence commitments and its constitutionally mandated defence of the international legal order. For this reason the Armed Forces of the Netherlands must be able to fulfill the demands of a resurgent collective NATO defence, EU expeditionary crisis management and international cooperative security. According to the “EDA Collective and National Defence Data 2005-2017e” the total military personnel of the Dutch Armed Forces was 40,196 in 2017.

The Royal Netherlands Army (RNA) has 15,977 personnel, the Royal Netherlands Navy (RNN) 7,569 personnel, the Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) 6.381 personnel and 10,269 personnel serve other military posts. The Royal Netherlands Army includes the 11th Airmobile Brigade, the 13th Light Brigade, the 43rd Mechanized Brigade, the Operational Support Command and the Joint Land-based Air Defence Command.

The Royal Netherlands Navy maintains a force of 4 Walrus-class submarines, 4 De Zeven Provinciën-class AAW frigates, 2 Karel Doorman-class frigates, 4 Holland-class offshore patrol vessels, 2 Rotterdam-class Landing Platform Dock (LPD) amphibious warfare ship, 1 Karel Doorman-class multi-function support ship for amphibious operations and 6 Alkmaar-class mine hunters. The Royal Netherlands Air Force maintains a force of 68 F-16AM/BM and 6 F-35A Lightning II (RNLAF plans to acquire in total 37 F-35A), 2 KDC-10 (aerial refueling / transport aircraft), 2/2 C-130H/H-30 and 4 MQ-9 Reaper.

According to the 2018 Defence White Paper of the Ministry of Defence of the Netherlands, the Armed Forces of the country will be able to do the following after the implementation of their new investment and modernization programme:

  1. Royal Netherlands Navy – For a limited period of time a maritime Task Force of 5 ships. These boats and a unit of Royal Netherlands Marines will be able to conduct missions in and from the sea in the context of allied defence or crisis management operations. Alternatively the Royal Netherlands Navy will commit for an extended period of time 2 surface ships, one submarine and a mine countermeasures vessel. One of the surface ships will be and air defence and command frigate with radar systems that can contribute to defence against incoming ballistic missiles from high risk nations. Furthermore the Royal Netherlands Navy should be able to commit a Royal Marines Battalion for a limited period of time and maritime logistics capability for a limited period of time.
  2. Royal Netherlands Army – A composite Task Force of Brigade size for a limited period of time or a composite Task Force of Battalion size for an extended period of time, with smaller contributions for an extended period of time, a composite Task Force of Battalion size for a limited period of time and an Army Corps HQ (German Netherlands Corps HQ) to direct multinational land operations for a limited period of time under the protection of a Patriot air defence system which will be deployed for a limited period of time.
  3. Royal Netherlands Air Force – Until the replacement of the F-16 a group of 8 F-16 fighter aircraft for a limited period of time and a group of 4 fighter aircraft for an extended period of time. During the transition from the F-16 fighter aircraft to the F-35A the Air Force would be able to provide 4 F-16 for a limited period of time. Following the introduction of the F-35A the Air Force would be able to provide 4 fighter aircraft for an extended period of time. Furthermore the Air Force would be able to provide strategic and tactical air transport in support of operations on land, at sea and in the air for an extended period of time and air to air refuelling capability for a limited period of time. Finally the Air Force would be able to provide helicopters in support of operations on land and at sea for an extended period of time.
  4. Special Operations Unit – Together with Belgium and Denmark the Netherlands Armed Forces would be able to provide HQ for the Command and Control of multinational special operations for a limited period of time. A unit of the size of a Company that forms part of a multinational Special Operations Task Force would be able to operate for an extended period of time. Finally the Armed Forces of the Netherlands would have a permanent capability to conduct a Special Operation with a short response time and for a short duration outside the country.
  5. Cyber – Support of current operations for an extended period of time and execution of one defensive and/or defensive cyber operation.

Defence Cooperation with Allied countries

After WW II, the Dutch Armed Forces wanted to improve collaboration with the Armed Forces of neighboring countries. The first example of this was the Belgian-Dutch naval cooperation initiative which goes back to 1948 when the idea of a Joint Staff arose. The agreement between the two countries was formalized a few years later in 1953, when NATO activated the Allied Command Channel (ACCHAN). The Benelux Sub-Area Channel Command (BENECHAN) was one of the three subordinate commands of ACCHAN. In 1975, Belgium and the Netherlands established EGUERMIN in the city of Ostend, a binational Naval Mine Warfare school.

In 1995, Belgian and Dutch Navies signed the BeNeSam agreement formalizing their collaboration. In January 1996, the position of Admiral Benelux was inaugurated and the operational staff of both Belgian and Dutch Navies were integrated into a joint staff based in Den Helder. The frigates and the minehunters of both Navies have been operating jointly since then. Both the Belgian and the Royal Netherlands Navy operate the same type of frigate, Karel Doorman-class and the same type of minehunter, Tripartite-class (Alkmaar-class for the RNN, Flower-class for the Belgian Navy).

In addition to working with Belgium, the Netherlands have also developed close cooperation with the German Bundeswehr. Since 1995 the Armies of these countries established a binational Headquarters to replace one German Corps Headquarters and one Dutch Corps Headquarters (p.61, Matláry, Janne Haaland, Østerud, Øyvind, Denationalisation of Defence, Ashgate, 2007). The 1st German/Netherlands Corps (1st GNC) is a multinational formation based in Münster (Germany, Northrhine Westphalia) made up of military units from both the Royal Netherlands Army and German Army, trained and equipped to conduct conventional warfare and peacekeeping operations.

In November 2002, the 1st German/Netherlands Corps met NATO Full Operational Capability (FOC) criteria and were certified to act as a High Readiness Force Land Headquarters (HRF (L) HQ) capable of rapid deployment as part of a NATO Combined Joint Task Force (CJTF). Two years later in November 2004, the 1st German/Netherlands Corps became "NATO Response Force-Headquarters" (NRF) and was subordinate to the NATO Allied Joint Force Command Naples. At present the 1st German/Dutch Corps does not have assigned units.

The 1st German/Dutch Corps will have multinational units assigned to it to create a tailor made organisation. Both nations intend to enhance the use of 1st German/Netherlands Corps as a platform for combined training as well as the leading command and control for multinational operations.

In September 2014, at the NATO Wales Summit, the Allies agreed to enhance the capabilities of the NATO Response Force (NRF) so that they could respond to the emerging security challenges posed by Russia, as well as to the risks coming from the Middle East and North Africa. This force is now in transition as military staff work to phase-in the concept of a Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF) into the NRF. The First German/Netherlands Corps took the lead for the land forces.

On the 28th of May 2013, a declaration of intent was signed by the Ministers of Defence of Germany and the Netherlands to further enhance bilateral relations in the field of defence. According to the German Army this project called, “Project Griffin” was a role model for future cooperation between the Netherlands and Germany and compromised more than 30 single projects, including:

• deeper integration of fire support,

• cooperation between the Dutch 43rd Mechnized Brigade and the German 1st Armored Division

• common army vision on land warfare (doctrine),

• development of common organization,

• exchange of company and battalion commanders,

• interoperability,

• officer and non-commissioned officer training/ exchange of cadets,

• language training,

• logistic cooperation.

• help desk telemaintenance

• medical cooperation

• exchange of instructors

In January 2014, the 11th (Netherlands) Airmobile Brigade (11 (NLD) LMB) was integrated into the German Division Schnelle Kräfte (DEU DSK) [Rapid Response Forces Division]. Then in March 2016 another Brigade of the Dutch Army was also integrated into the German Army. This time the Dutch 43rd Mechanized Brigade became part of the German 1st Panzer Division. Furthermore the 414th Panzer Battalion of the 41st Panzergrenadier Brigade of the German Army was re-established in 2016, forming a mixed German and Dutch tank battalion, containing 100 Dutch and 300 German soldiers.

In February 2016, the Dutch Minister, Mrs. Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, and her German colleague Mrs. Ursula von der Leyen, signed two agreements regarding long-term cooperation. Under these, Germany will become a joint user of the logistical support ship HNLMS Karel Doorman and the two countries will strengthen their ties in the area of ground-based air and missile defence, among other items. A year later in February 2017, the German and Dutch militaries agreed to a further strengthing of their defense cooperation by putting a German short-range air defense unit under the command of the Dutch military

Defence cooperation between the BENELUX countries (Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg), was also reinforced with the declaration signed in 2012 between the Minister of Defence of the Netherlands, Mr. Hans Hillen, the Minister of Defence Belgium, Mr. Pieter de Crem, and the Minister of the Interior of Luxembourg, Mr. Jean-Marie Halsdorf. According to this declaration, the three countries armed forces will train and exercise together more frequently, their air forces will make use of each other’s airfields, the Belgian and Dutch navies will intensify their combined operations and Belgium’s paratroopers and the Netherlands’ Airmobile Brigade will cooperate more intensively.

On December 21st 2016, a technical arrangement (TA) was signed by the Dutch Commander of the Royal Netherlands Air Force, the Belgian Commander of the Air Component and the Ambassador of Luxembourg. This meant that the Dutch and Belgian Air Forces would take turns in the taking responsibility for air policing operations of the BENELUX airspace, with 24/7/365 readiness.

Long Term Defence Acquisition Programmes

Over the next 10 years the Armed Forces of the Netherlands are going to implement 21 large acquisition programmes, each valued between 250-1,000 million Euros.

The Royal Netherlands Navy is going to implement 11 large acquisition programmes. These are:

  • The replacement of 6 Tripartite-class (RNN: Alkmaar class) mine hunters in collaboration with the Belgian Navy. The programme includes the procurement of 6 mine hunters for the Royal Netherlands Navy and 6 for the Belgian Navy with a total value 1.756 billion Euros, at the rate of 887 million for Belgium and 966 million for the Netherlands
  • The replacement of the three M-class frigates of both the Royal Netherlands Navy and the Belgian Navy. The Royal Netherlands Navy will buy 2 multipurpose frigates and the Belgian Navy one.
  • The replacement of the four Warlus-class submarines.
  • The replacement of the four Air Defence and Command De Zeven Provincien-class frigates.
  • The acquisition of a new Combat Support Ship
  • The acquisition and integration of ESSM Block II missile
  • The replacement of the all-terrain vehicles of the Royal Netherlands Marines
  • The replacement of the Standard Missile 2 Block IIIA (SM-2-IIIA).
  • The replacement of the HNLMS Rottendam (LPD-1) & HNLMS Johan de Witt (LPD-2) ships

The Royal Netherlands Army is going to implement 5 large procurement programmes. These are:

  • The Middle update programme of the CV90 AIFV
  • The Middle update programme of the Fennek vehicle
  • The replacement of the Flatrack system
  • The replacement of the medium and short range anti-tank missiles
  • The replacement of the self-propelled howitzer of 155mm

The Royal Netherlands Air Force is going to implement 5 large procurement programmes. These are:

  • The acquisition of 37 F-35A Lighting II fighter aircraft, which will replace the existing fleet of F-16AM/BM Block20 MLU
  • The replacement and modernisation of the CH-47D Chinook
  • The acquisition of multi-role tanker transport (MRTT) capability
  • The remanufacture of the AH-64D Apache attack helicopters
  • The replacement of the C-130 transport aircraft

Defence wide acquisition programme

  • Addition to ammunition stock