Submarine Proliferation

Netherlands Current Capabilities

Capabilities | Import | Export

Based at Den Helder, the Royal Netherlands Navy (RNLN) currently operates four Walrus-class boats. While the Dutch Navy's main area of interest is the Baltic Sea and Mediterranean,[1] the RNLN has also assisted the U.S. Navy in preventing drug trafficking in the Caribbean, where the RNLN holds a minor base on the Netherlands Antilles.[2]

The future of the RNLN's submarine force, however, has come into question. In the early 1990s, the Dutch government decreased its planned procurement from six to just four Walrus-class vessels, decommissioned two older Zwaardvis-class units earlier than initially planned, and decided not to replace them with new Moray-class boats.[3]

More importantly, the Dutch Labor Party has spoken out in the past in favor of the discontinuation of the submarine fleet. As a result, a mid-life modernization of current vessels in the next few years may not take place. [4]

Walrus-class SSK.
Source: Royal Netherlands Navy Website, http://www.marine.nl

The most recent defense budget seems to confirm this prediction. It included significant cuts, reportedly forcing the Navy to choose between its submarine division or patrol aircraft. The latter were abolished at this point.[5] The continued existence of the Dutch submarine fleet is thus going to depend on the perceived benefits provided by these boats in the post-Cold War environment or how well they fit into new missions like peacekeeping and the prevention of drug trafficking.[6,7]

Walrus

Displacement, metric tons:	2,465 surfaced 2,800 submerged
Dimensions, ft (m):	223.1 × 27.6 × 23 (67.7 × 8.4 × 4.7)
Main machinery:	diesel-electric
Speed, knots:	12 surfaced 20 submerged
Range, miles:	10,000 at 9 knots, snorting
Complement:	52 (including 7 officers)
Diving depth, ft (m):	984 (300)
Endurance:	60 days
Weapons:	20 SSMs and torpedoes (however, the Netherlands has not acquired SSMs); four 21" (533mm) tubes; 40 mines in lieu of torpedoes

Sources:
Stephen Saunders, Jane’s Fighting Ships: 2002-2003 (Coulsdon, Jane’s Information Group, 2002).
A.D. Baker, Combat Fleets of the World, p. 203.
"Factsheet Walrus-klasse," Netherlands Ministry of Defense Website, http://www.mindef.nl/nieuws/media/content/091101_factsheetwalrus.

ACTIVE DUTY SUBMARINES
Name (Number)	Class	Base	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Commissioned
Walrus (S 802)	Walrus	Den Helder	RDM, Rotterdam	October 1979	October 1985	March 1992
Zeeleeuw (S803)	Walrus	Den Helder	RDM, Rotterdam	September 1981	June 1987	April 1990
Dolfijn (S 808)	Walrus	Den Helder	RDM, Rotterdam	June 1986	April 1990	January 1993
Bruinvis (S 810)	Walrus	Den Helder	RDM, Rotterdam	April 1988	April 1992	July 1994
Sources: Stephen Saunders, Jane’s Fighting Ships: 2002-2003 (Coulsdon, Jane’s Information Group, 2002). Baker etc. "Factsheet Walrus-klasse," Netherlands Ministry of Defense Website, http://www.mindef.nl/nieuws/media/content/091101_factsheetwalrus.

Sources:
[1] Interview with Vice Admiral Clees van Duyvendijk, Commander in Chief RNN, "Navy chiefs of staff on MCM and minelaying," Naval Forces, 2001, Vol. 22, No. 3, pp. 62-68; in ProQuest Information and Learning Company, http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb.
[2] "Chamber of approves deployment of Netherlands troops," NRC Handelsblad, 16 November 2001; in "Netherlands parliament approves troop deployment in Afghanistan," FBIS Document EUP2001111800022.
[3] Paul Berrill, "RDM profits hit by restructuring," Loyd's List International, 8 June 1991; in Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe, http://web.lexis-nexis.com.
[4] "Worldwide Naval Projections Report for Netherlands, October 2001," AMI International Website, http://www.amiinter.com.
[5] Steven Derix, "Decommissioned Orion aircraft not yet superfluous," NRC Handelsblad, 15 September 2003; in "Defense cuts affect air patrol capacities of Netherlands mission in Iraq," FBIS Document EUP20030916000523.
[6] "Armed forces will drastically shrink," NRC Handelsblad, 1 July 2003; in "Netherlands minister details defense cuts in letter to parliament," FBIS Document EUP20030702000508.
[7] "Defense Ministry Seeks Personnel," De Volkskrant, 17 September 1997; in "Armed Forces 1998 Reorganization, Staffing Needs Outlined" FBIS Document FTS19970917000802.

This material is produced independently for NTI by the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Monterey Institute of International Studies and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of and has not been independently verified by NTI or its directors, officers, employees, agents. Copyright © 2007 by MIIS.