Royal Netherlands Navy 🇳🇱
Key facts
| Official Name | Royal Netherlands Navy |
| Country | 🇳🇱 Netherlands |
| World rank | #41 |
| Ships in service | 38 (as of 2026) |
| Total ships | 38 |
| Naval ensign |
|
Number of active ships by category
| Ship category | Active | |
|---|---|---|
| Support ships | 8 | |
| Patrol boats | 7 | |
| Other ships | 6 | |
| Mine Warfare ships | 6 | |
| Frigates | 6 | |
| Submarines | 3 | |
| Amphibious ships | 2 | |
Global Navy Index
| 🚢 Capital Ships | 0 | Aircraft carriers & cruisers (highest weight) |
| ⚓ Major Combatants | 9 | Destroyers, submarines & frigates |
| 🚤 Light Combatants | 2 | Corvettes & amphibious vessels |
| ⛵ Minor Vessels | 13 | Patrol, coastal & mine warfare |
| 📊 Total Active | 38 | Combat vessels (auxiliaries excluded) |
Methodology: Square root scaled index weighted by ship combat capability. Capital ships score highest due to force projection capability. Auxiliary vessels are excluded.
Overview
The Royal Netherlands Navy (RNLN) is a modern, technologically advanced maritime force undergoing a significant and ambitious modernization of its fleet. Its strategy is focused on being a "regional power projection" navy, capable of operating in high-intensity conflict scenarios, primarily within the NATO framework. Key mission areas include anti-submarine warfare (ASW), anti-air warfare (AAW), and mine countermeasures (MCM). The navy is transitioning to operate in a multi-domain environment, emphasizing shared situational awareness and the use of artificial intelligence and big data analysis. While it possesses the frigates and auxiliaries for sustained blue-water operations, it relies on land-based air support, defining it as a "green-water" navy with significant coastal, or "brown-water," capabilities.
The RNLN's combat fleet is centered on its De Zeven Provinciën-class air-defence and command frigates and the Karel Doorman-class multi-purpose frigates. These are complemented by Holland-class offshore patrol vessels for lower-intensity tasks, a fleet of advanced minehunters, and a capable submarine service that provides a valued stealthy, forward-operating capability for the alliance. The navy’s amphibious capabilities are robust, centered around its landing platform docks (LPDs) and the Netherlands Marine Corps, which is evolving to conduct more dispersed operations.
An unprecedented fleet renewal program will see nearly the entire surface fleet replaced over the next 15 years. This historic initiative includes new Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) frigates being built in collaboration with Belgium, and new Air Defence and Command Frigates to replace the current vessels. A new class of submarines, the Orka-class, will replace the long-serving Walrus-class, ensuring the continuity of this critical capability with long-range precision strike additions. Other significant acquisitions include a new Combat Support Ship, and the replacement of amphibious transport and patrol vessels.
Detailed inventory of Netherlands Navy
Amphibious ships
| Type | Class | Ship Name | Hull Number | Status | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Landing platform dock | Rotterdam | (2 ships) | Active | 1998 |
Frigates
| Type | Class | Ship Name | Hull Number | Status | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frigate | De Zeven Provinciën | (4 ships) | Active | 2002 | |
| Karel Doorman | (2 ships) | Active | 1994 |
Mine Warfare ships
| Type | Class | Ship Name | Hull Number | Status | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minehunter | Alkmaar | (5 ships) | Active | 1989 | |
| Mine countermeasures vessel | Geosea | Active | 2020 |
Other ships
| Type | Class | Ship Name | Hull Number | Status | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coastal & Harbour Tug | Noordzee | (3 ships) | Active | 2016 | |
| Hydrographic survey vessel | Snellius | (2 ships) | Active | 2004 | |
| Training Vessel | Van Kinsbergen Training Vessel | Active | 1999 |
Patrol boats
| Type | Class | Ship Name | Hull Number | Status | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Training & Patrol | Damen StanPatrol 2005 | (3 ships) | Active | 2014 | |
| Offshore patrol vessel | Holland | (4 ships) | Active | 2011 |
Submarines
| Type | Class | Ship Name | Hull Number | Status | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Submarine | Walrus | (3 ships) | Active | 1994 |
Support ships
| Type | Class | Ship Name | Hull Number | Status | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diving support vessel | Cerberus | (4 ships) | Active | 1992 | |
| Joint logistic support ship | Karel Doorman | Active | 2014 | ||
| Submarine support vessel | Mercuur | Active | 1987 | ||
| Multi-purpose logistic support vessel | Pelikaan | Active | 2006 | ||
| Diving support vessel | Soemba | Active | 1989 |