U.S., Dutch Navy Chiefs Discuss Maritime Security, Reaffirm Continued Cooperation

HMS Queen Elizabeth and USS The Sullivans with the United Kingdom Carrier Strike Group joined ships with NATO Standing Maritime Groups One and Two for an impressive display of maritime power in the Eastern Atlantic on 28 May 2021. The rendezvous was part of Steadfast Defender 21, a large scale defensive exercise designed to test NATO’s ability to rapidly deploy forces from North America to the coast of Portugal and the Black Sea region. *ROYAL NAVY / LPhot Unaisi Luke*

WASHINGTON — Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Gilday hosted Commander of the Royal Netherlands Navy Vice Adm. Rob Kramer and his relief Rear Adm. René Tas at the Pentagon June 17 to discuss maritime security issues and reaffirm their commitment to continued cooperation between the two navies, the Navy said in a June 17 release.

This meeting marked the second in-person discussion between the two heads of navy.

“Our bilateral relationship with the Royal Netherlands Navy is one of our oldest,” said Gilday. “The Dutch are an important ally and play a vital role in global maritime security. I look forward to working alongside Vice Adm. Kramer and Rear Adm. Tas to enhance our navies’ cooperation far into the future.”

Kramer echoed Gilday’s sentiments.

“Our deep friendship enables an inclusive and very valuable collaboration on both global maritime security issues and illicit trafficking in the Caribbean region,” said Kramer.

From operations in the Middle East to the Caribbean, and from the Atlantic to counter piracy operations off Africa, the U.S. Navy and Royal Netherlands Navy operate regularly together around the globe.

Most recently, both navies participated in the recent NATO exercise Steadfast Defender and At-Sea Demo/Formidable Shield, where USS Paul Ignatius (DDG 117) and the Royal Netherlands Navy’s frigate HNLMS De Zeven Provinciën (F802) engaged a live medium-range ballistic target using a Standard Missile-3 together.

In the groundbreaking engagement, HNLMS De Zeven Provincien employed its advanced combat system suite to provide an early warning ballistic track to the maritime task group. Upon receipt of the track information, Paul Ignatius calculated a firing solution to launch an SM-3 Blk IA.

Both navies also have ships that are operating as part of the HMS Queen Elizabeth Carrier Strike Group, USS The Sullivans (DDG-68) and HNLMS Evertsen (F805).