Netherlands Armed Forces
Netherlands Armed Forces | |
---|---|
Nederlandse krijgsmacht | |
Founded | 1572 |
Service branches | |
Headquarters | ranked 19th) |
Percent of GDP | 2.16% (2024)[4] |
Industry | |
Domestic suppliers | |
Foreign suppliers | |
Related articles | |
History | Military history of the Netherlands |
Ranks | Military ranks of the Netherlands |
The Netherlands Armed Forces (Dutch: Nederlandse krijgsmacht) are the military services of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The core of the armed forces consists of the four service branches: the Royal Netherlands Navy (Koninklijke Marine), the Royal Netherlands Army (Koninklijke Landmacht), the Royal Netherlands Air Force (Koninklijke Luchtmacht) and the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee (Koninklijke Marechaussee). The service branches are supplemented by various joint support organisations. In addition, local conscript forces exist on the Dutch Caribbean islands of Aruba (AruMil) and Curaçao (CurMil). These operate under the auspices of the Royal Netherlands Navy and the Netherlands Marine Corps. The armed forces are organisationally part of the Ministry of Defence.
The existence of, authority over, and tasks of the armed forces are determined in the constitution of the Netherlands. The Government, which consists of cabinet members led by the Prime Minister and the King, functions as the head of the armed forces. Although service members swear allegiance to the King of the Netherlands, the monarch does not hold the position of commander-in-chief, nor any other formal rank.
The military ranks of the Netherlands armed forces are similar to those of fellow NATO member states and were established by Royal Decree. The highest-ranking officer in the Dutch military is the Chief of Defence, who is a four-star officer (NATO OF-9).
After initial cooperation with the
Foundation in law and purpose
The Netherlands armed forces exist by declaration in the constitution of the Netherlands.[6] Article 97 of this constitution determines that the armed forces exist
- to defend the Kingdom of the Netherlands and its interests in the world; and
- to protect and advance the international rule of law.
This means that the role and responsibility of the Dutch military in international stability and peacekeeping is constitutionally determined.
The same article of the constitution determines that supreme command of the Dutch military resides with the
Overview
Organisation
The existence of, authority over, and tasks of the armed forces are determined in the
The
Personnel
The Netherlands Armed Forces are a professional military, conscription in the Netherlands having been suspended in 1996 with the exception of Aruba and Curaçao.[7] All military branches and specialties are open to female recruits. In October 2018 the Ministry of Defence announced that the submarine service will also accept female recruits for positions as officer, NCO and sailor.[8]
The
Service | Military | Reserve | Civilian | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|
Navy | 7,508 | 1,148 | 2,633 | 11,289 |
Army | 16,055 | 4,054 | 3,261 | 23,370 |
Air Force | 6,540 | 751 | 1,062 | 8,353 |
Marechaussee | 6,606 | 306 | 746 | 7,658 |
Central Staff | 1,079 | 18 | 1,803 | 2,900 |
Defence Support Command | 2,724 | 144 | 6,546 | 9,414 |
Defence Materiel Organisation | 738 | 6 | 4,279 | 5,023 |
Total | 41,250 | 6,427 | 20,330 | 68,007 |
Ranks
The Dutch military is part of the NATO militaries and therefore conforms to the structure of a NATO military. It also uses conforming rank structures.
Oath
All Dutch military personnel,
- "Ik zweer (beloof) trouw aan de Koning, gehoorzaamheid aan de wetten en onderwerping aan de krijgstucht. Zo waarlijk helpe mij God Almachtig (Dat beloof ik)."
Translated in English:
- "I swear (pledge) loyalty to the King, obedience to the law and submission to martial discipline. So help me God (That, I pledge)."
Unionised military
Unlike many military organisations, Dutch military members are allowed to form and join unions.[11]
There is a wide variety of unions, including unions exclusive to officers or particular service branches. Some of the larger unions include:
- Algemene Federatie van Militair Personeel (AFMP, General Federation of Military Personnel), which was recognized by the Dutch government in 1966. The AFMP is a member of the Federation of Dutch Trade Unions (FNV).
- Algemeen Christelijke Organisatie van Militairen (ACOM, General Christian Organisation for Military Personnel). The ACOM is a member of the Christian National Trade Union Federation (CNV).
- Gezamenlijke Officieren Verenigingen en Middelbaar en Hoger Burgerpersoneel bij Defensie (GOV/MHB, United Officers Associations and Middle- and Seniorlevel Civilian Personnel)
- Vakbond voor Defensiepersoneel VBM (VBM, Union for Defence Personnel).
Service branches
The Royal Netherlands Navy (
The surface fleet of the Navy consist of frigates, amphibious warfare ships, patrol vessels, mine-countermeasure vessels and multiple auxiliary ships. All major surface vessels of the Royal Netherlands Navy are constructed at the Dutch shipyard Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding. This includes the technologically advanced air-defence frigates of the De Zeven Provinciën-class. Thales Nederland produces various types of high-end sensors and radars for the Dutch fleet.
The
Netherlands Marine Corps
The Netherlands Marine Corps is the Navy's
Royal Netherlands Army
The Royal Netherlands Army (
Royal Netherlands Air Force
The Royal Netherlands Air Force (
Royal Netherlands Marechaussee
The Royal Netherlands Marechaussee (
The Marechaussee was established as one of the separate Armed Forces in 1998; before then the Marechaussee was organised as one of the arms within the Army. While the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee operates under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Defence, the branch often performs duties delegated by the Ministry of Justice and Security and the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations. Moreover, several brigades of the Marechaussee are permanently stationed in the Dutch Caribbean.
Contemporary campaigns
Since the 1990s, the Dutch military has been involved in several military campaigns and peace-keeping missions, these include:
- Bosnian War
- Kosovo War
- International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan leading the effort in Uruzgan Province.
- Multinational force in Iraq
- United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali
- Combined Joint Task Force
- Resolute Support Mission
Afghanistan
Contribution to ISAF
As part of
The Netherlands deployed further troops and helicopters to Afghanistan in 2006 as part of a new security operation in the south of the country.
Between 2002 and 2021, Dutch military personnel worked successively in the Afghan provinces of Kabul, Baghlan, Kandahar, Uruzgan, Kunduz and Balkh, with the aim, among other things, to bring stability and to build up the security apparatus, the army and the police.[21] In total, 25 Dutch servicemen were killed in action during the deployment.[22]
Resolute Support Mission
From 2015 until 2021, approximately 160 Dutch troops of the
Iraq
Multinational force in Iraq
A contingent of 1,345 Army and
Intervention against ISIL
On 24 September 2014, the
From 2015 until the spring of 2018, KCT and NLMARSOF
Counterpiracy
As a
The Dutch naval forces were regularly engaged in combat. Firefights between the naval ships and Somali pirates have cost the lives of pirates on multiple occasions.
Mali
Special forces of the
On 16 March 2015, a Dutch AH-64 Apache attack helicopter of the Dutch MINUSMA air detachment crashed during a firing exercise, killing the two pilots.[40] On 6 July 2016, two servicemen of 11 Air Assault Brigade were killed during a mortar-firing exercise, while a third serviceman was severely wounded.[41] The incident lead to the resignation of the minister of Defence Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert and Chief of Defence General Tom Middendorp after a critical report by the Dutch Safety Board found that the safety standards were subpar.[42][43] The Netherlands ended their sizable contribution to the peacekeeping mission in May 2019 to send additional troops to Afghanistan instead.[44]
Central staff
Chief of Defence | Appointed | Branch | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
General Onno Eichelsheim (born 1966) |
15 April 2021 (3 years, 18 days) |
Royal Netherlands Air Force (Attack Helicopters) | ||
Vice Chief of Defence | Appointed | Branch | ||
Vice admiral Boudewijn Boots (born 1964) |
8 March 2021 (3 years, 56 days) |
Royal Netherlands Navy (Naval Squadron) | ||
Commander of the Army | Appointed | Branch | ||
Lieutenant general Martin Wijnen (born 1966) |
28 August 2019 (4 years, 249 days) |
Royal Netherlands Army (Corps of Engineers) | ||
Commander of the Navy | Appointed | Branch | ||
Vice admiral René Tas (born 1964) |
9 September 2021 (2 years, 237 days) |
Royal Netherlands Navy (Naval Squadron) | ||
Commander of the Air Force | Appointed | Branch | ||
Lieutenant general André Steur (born 1970) |
14 April 2023 (1 year, 18 days) |
Royal Netherlands Air Force (Fighters) | ||
Commander of the Royal Marechaussee | Appointed | Branch | ||
Lieutenant general Annelore Roelofs (born 1958) |
1 September 2023 (245 days) |
Schiphol )
|
References
- ^ Werken bij de landmacht – required age, Dutch army
- ^ a b "Aantallen personeel" [Numbers of personnel]. defensie.nl (in Dutch). 7 October 2023.
- ^ "Wijziging van de begrotingsstaat van het ministerie van Defensie (X) voor het jaar 2024". 16 April 2024.
- ^ "Voorjaarsnota 2024" [Spring budget 2024] (in Dutch). 15 April 2024. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
- ISSN 1865-2263. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
- ^ "Artikel 97: Krijgsmacht". denederlandsegrondwet.nl. De Nederlandse Grondwet. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
- ^ "Suspended" in this case means that no conscripts are called up in the Netherlands; the legal mechanism for the draft is still in place.
- ^ Gain, Nathan (22 January 2020). "Dutch female sailors now admitted for submarine service". Naval News. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
- ^ "Aantallen personeel". defensie.nl. Ministry of Defence. 29 March 2019. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
- ^ "Artikel 126a. - Algemeen militair ambtenarenreglement". wetten.nl. Overheid.nl. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
- S2CID 144421886. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
- ^ "De opbouw van ISAF in Afghanistan sinds 2001". Het Parool. 30 July 2010. Retrieved 5 May 2020.
- ^ "More Dutch troops for Afghanistan". BBC News. 3 February 2006. Retrieved 7 June 2012.
- ^ Dimitriu, G.R.; Tuinman, G.P.; van der Vorm, M. (2012). "Operationele ontwikkeling van de Nederlandse Special Operations Forces, 2005–2010" [Operational development of the Dutch Special Operations Forces, 2005–2010] (PDF) (in Dutch). 108 (3). Retrieved 5 May 2020.
{{cite journal}}
: Cite journal requires|journal=
(help) - ^ "Eindevaluatie Nederlandse bijdrage aan ISAF, 2006 – 2010" [Final evaluation of the Dutch contribution to ISAF, 2006 – 2010]. www.tweedekamer.nl (in Dutch). Cabinet of the Netherlands. 28 September 2011. Retrieved 5 May 2020.
- )
- ^ Elsevier. 1. Retrieved 5 May 2020.
- ^ "Nederlanders vochten mee in operatie Medusa". De Volkskrant. ANP. 15 September 2006. Retrieved 5 May 2020.
- ^ "Son of Top Dutch General Is Killed in Afghanistan". The New York Times. Associated Press. 19 April 2008. Retrieved 5 May 2020.
- ^ "ISAF Key Fact and Figures Placemat" (PDF). www.nato.int. NATO. 1 September 2008. Retrieved 5 May 2020.
- ^ "Afghanistan". www.defensie.nl. 19 May 2021.
- ^ "Afghanistan". www.veteraneninstituut.nl. Veteraneninstituut. 2 October 2014. Retrieved 5 May 2020.
- ^ "Nederlandse bijdrage Resolute Support". www.defensie.nl. Ministerie van Defensie. 11 December 2018. Retrieved 5 May 2020.
- ^ Brasser, Bianca (7 May 2019). "KCT mee met Afghanen: Shana ba shana". Landmacht. 04. Retrieved 5 May 2020.
- ^ "Nederlandse commando's in heel Afghanistan". De Telegraaf. 24 May 2019. Retrieved 5 May 2020.
- ^ "Nederlands aandeel inzet Irak" [Dutch contribution to Iraq deployment]. www.defensie.nl (in Dutch). Ministerie van Defensie. 21 August 2018. Retrieved 5 May 2020.
- ^ a b "Inzet in Irak" [Deployment in Iraq] (PDF). www.defensie.nl (in Dutch). Nederlands Instituut voor Militaire Historie. Retrieved 5 May 2020.
- ^ "Nederlandse missie in Irak officieel geëindigd" [Dutch mission in Iraq officially ended]. De Volkskrant (in Dutch). ANP. 7 March 2005. Retrieved 5 May 2020.
- ^ "Bombardementen IS: Nederland in top-3 actiefste landen". RTL Nieuws. 14 August 2015. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
- ^ "Dutch military contribution in Iraq". defensie.nl. Archived from the original on 1 February 2017. Retrieved 9 June 2017.
- ^ "F-16-missie Midden-Oosten beëindigd" [F-16 Middle East mission ended]. www.defensie.nl (in Dutch). Ministry of Defence. 31 December 2018. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
- ^ "Nederland wil samen met België IS bekampen achter front in Irak" [The Netherlands wants to fight IS behind the front in Iraq together with Belgium]. Gazet van Antwerpen (in Dutch). 9 September 2016. Retrieved 5 May 2020.
- ^ van Langendonck, Gert (17 July 2017). "Instructeurs leren geharde peshmerga beter schieten". NRC Handelsblad. Retrieved 5 May 2020.
- ^ Koelé, Theo (3 April 2011). "Twee piraten gedood bij bevrijdingsactie marine". De Volkskrant (in Dutch). Retrieved 1 August 2021.
- ^ "Pirated German ship rescued – EU NAVFOR HNLMS Tromp retakes pirated MV Taipan". EU NAVFOR Public Affairs Office. 5 April 2010. Archived from the original on 8 June 2010. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
- ^ "Spektakuläres Video: Wie die Holländer ein deutsches Containerschiff befreiten - SPIEGEL TV" [Spectacular video: How the Dutch liberated a German container ship - SPIEGEL TV]. YouTube (in German). Der Spiegel. 4 May 2010. Archived from the original on 11 December 2021. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
- ^ "Kikvorsmannen onderscheiden voor saboteren piratenschepen" [Frogmen awarded for sabotaging pirate ships]. NOS (in Dutch). 13 November 2019. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
- ^ de Ridder, Marlous (10 June 2014). "Commando's welkom in Gao: Special Forces nog nooit zo in de openbaarheid". Landmacht. 05. Retrieved 2 May 2020.
- ^ Kuijl, Wouter (23 January 2019). "De All-Sources Information Fusion Unit in Mali en de Dutch Approach". Militaire Spectator. 188 (1). Retrieved 2 May 2020.
- ^ "2 Apache pilots killed in Mali". government.nl. Government of the Netherlands. 17 March 2015. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
- RTV Drenthe(in Dutch). 28 April 2019. Retrieved 2 May 2020.
- ^ "Dutch minister resigns over deaths of Mali peacekeepers". BBC News. 4 October 2017. Retrieved 2 May 2020.
- ^ "Mortierongeval Mali" [Mortar accident Mali] (in Dutch). Onderzoeksraad voor Veiligheid (Dutch Safety Board). 28 September 2017. Retrieved 2 May 2020.
- ^ van 't Einde, Tom (1 May 2019). "Missie in Mali voorbij, militairen terug naar Nederland" [Mission in Mali over, soldiers back to the Netherlands]. EenVandaag (in Dutch). AVROTROS. Retrieved 2 May 2020.
- This article incorporates public domain material from The World Factbook (2024 ed.).