Dutch Navy Commander to Visit US, Showcase Capabilities of New Vessel

News article | May 31, 2012

(Washington, D.C.) — Commander of the Royal Netherlands Navy will visit the US to present new vessel. Press invited to sailing.

Vice Admiral Matthieu Borsboom, Commander of the Royal Netherlands Navy (RNLN), will visit the United States June 16-22 to present the future capabilities of the RNLN to his U.S. Navy counterparts. Since the post-Cold War era, the Royal Netherlands Navy has transformed its thinking and priorities to reflect its new roles and missions. As one of the results, the Dutch Navy will soon commission a new class of Patrol Ship to engage in coast guard patrol, law enforcement and humanitarian missions in the Caribbean and around the world. On June 18, the Vice Admiral will oversee the test sailing of a new Dutch Oceangoing Patrol Vessel in Key West, FL. He will also travel to Washington, D.C. and Norfolk, VA.

Testing of Oceangoing Patrol Vessel

The first Oceangoing Patrol Vessel, the Holland, will undergo hot weather testing of its weapon and sensor systems on June 18 with a four-hour sailing off the shores of Key West. The Holland is outfitted with the latest communications and sensor equipment with the I-Mast 400, an integrated system housed within the single mast of the ship. The 52-ton mast, created by Thales Nederland, contains the air/surface surveillance radar, electro-optical infrared surveillance system, the friend-or-foe identification system, and the integrated communication antenna system.

Members of the media are invited to accompany the Vice Admiral on the test sailing of the Holland.

The Holland, built by Damen Schelde Naval Ship Building, has a crew of only 50. The ship is also tasked for search and rescue operations, prevention of drug-trafficking, smuggler interdiction, anti-piracy missions and for operations with the Joint Interagency Task Force South. The Holland is equipped for an NH-90 helicopter, two Fast Raiding, Interception and Special Forces Craft, (FRISC), one fast rescue boat, and weapons systems. The vessel is the first in a class of four Patrol Ships to be developed for the Dutch Navy. The first operational deployment of the Holland is scheduled for January through April of 2013 for counter drugs operations and in support of the Caribbean Coast Guard.

“The Oceangoing Patrol Vessel Holland combines Dutch ingenuity with the maneuverability to operate in all types of weather and is a welcomed addition to the fleet of the Royal Netherlands Navy,” said Vice Admiral Borsboom.

 Washington and Norfork

The Netherlands and the United States militaries share a strong bilateral relationship that extends from joint training exercises to the Dutch military’s participation in missions in Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan and the F-35 program. While in Washington, Vice Admiral Borsboom will hold meetings at the Pentagon with the Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps and the Vice Chief of Naval Operations to discuss further cooperation with the U.S. In Norfolk, the Vice Admiral will meet the Commander of Fleet Forces Command and the Chief of Staff for Allied Command Transformation.

Members of the media who would like to sail on the test run of the Patrol Ship Holland on June 18 in Key West must have press credentials, and should contact Carla Bundy at 202-274-2632 or cy.bundy@minbuza.nl by June 13.

Follow the visit of the Vice Admiral on Twitter @DutchEmbassyDC.