Tender expected for new Dutch auxiliary ships
HNLMS Mercuur will be one of 10 RNLN auxiliary ships to be replaced by a new class of eight ships. (Image source: Wikimedia Commons)
The Royal Netherlands Navy has announced plans to replace its ageing auxiliary ships with a fleet of new vessels.
A tender is expected by the end of this year for a class of eight auxiliary ships that will be divided into two variants: four equipped for open ocean operations and four specialised for inshore operations.
According to the Dutch Defence Project Overview Report 2023, published in September, an acquisition preparation phase will begin in 2025 – known in the Netherlands as a D-letter – which would see the Dutch MoD enter into a long-term partnership with a single supplier for the ships.
The RNLN would require delivery of the new ships within the 2026–30 timeframe as its 10 older vessels
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