Dutch navy joins elite with first Tomahawk missile launch

Tomahawk is an American tactical cruise missile that had previously been associated mainly with the AUKUS alliance formed by the United Kingdom, the United States, and Australia. Only these countries had Tomahawk missiles. The Netherlands became the fourth country to acquire them, prioritizing the purchase of Tomahawks in 2022 after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. This was deemed more important than acquiring tanks, which the Netherlands currently does not have, although this situation is expected to change by 2027.

The Dutch navy conducted its maneuvers in the Atlantic Ocean near Norfolk, in cooperation with the United States Navy. These maneuvers were part of the process of "gathering necessary information" before Tomahawks are operationally deployed on Dutch frigates.

"The Tomahawk long-range weapons allow the Navy to take out (strategic) targets deep inland from the sea. Examples include command centers, anti-aircraft installations, and enemy units. The missiles have a range of more than 1,000 kilometers [621 miles]. The weapon gives the Royal Netherlands Navy additional combat power. This helps deter potential adversaries," wrote the Dutch Ministry of Defense in a statement.

The first launch of the Tomahawk cruise missile was made possible by the participation of the frigate HNLMS De Ruyter, a De Zeven Provinciën-class ship. The Dutch navy has several of these ships, characterized by a length exceeding 459 feet and a displacement of over 6,614 short tons.

The Tomahawk cruise missile is considered one of the most valuable weapons for arming warships because it provides not only a long range but also very high accuracy. The Netherlands sought the latest variant of this missile – Block V.

"Strong deterrence requires strong weapons. De Ruyter launched a Tomahawk missile for the first time. An important step to give our navy the striking power it needs in a changing world," wrote Dutch Deputy Defense Secretary Gijs Tuinman after the maneuvers.