Netherlands State Secretary for Defense Gijs Tuinman has informed the nation’s House of Representatives that the Royal Netherlands Navy will equip its future submarines with a European-manufactured cruise missile.
The navy will use a submarine-launched variant of the Joint Strike Missile (JSM-SL), which is currently under development in a collaborative effort led by Spain, involving several European nations.
Tuinman said that the JSM-SL will be designed to fulfil all operational requirements and is expected to present an opportunity for Dutch research institutions and industries to contribute.
The integration of this weapon system is anticipated to take place in 2032.
Tuinman also stated that it has been decided not to upgrade the existing Walrus-class submarines with this capability due to their limited remaining service life and the time required for procurement and system integration.
The Netherlands will receive Tomahawk missiles for use on the navy’s air defence and command frigates by 2028, he said.
These missiles are being acquired from Raytheon and are compatible with the launching systems aboard the frigates.
The Tomahawk boasts a range exceeding 1,000km. The missile is expected to enhance the Royal Netherlands Navy’s operational capabilities, enabling precision strikes against strategic targets such as command centres and enemy installations.
A significant milestone was achieved in March 2025 when the air defence and command frigate Zr.Ms. De Ruyter successfully launched a Tomahawk missile off the coast of Norfolk.
This test, conducted in collaboration with the US Navy and the Ministry of Defence, marked the first instance of a Dutch naval ship firing this type of missile and aimed to gather crucial data for future operations.
In February 2025, the Royal Netherlands Navy christened its new Combat Support Ship (CSS), the future HNLMS Den Helder. The ship was officially named by Princess of Orange Catharina-Amalia at Damen Naval’s shipyard in Vlissingen.
In a related development, Royal IHC and Naval Group recently entered into a contract for the provision of essential components for the Royal Netherlands Navy’s upcoming Orka-class submarines.
As the primary contractor for the Dutch Ministry of Defence, Naval Group is tasked with constructing four Orka-class submarines.
These vessels are slated to become operational in the next decade and will undertake various missions such as deterrence, intelligence collection, and special operations, serving both national and international security objectives.
