The Netherlands will sail a logistics ship to support the EU’s defensive maritime security operations in the Middle East from May to August.
Operation Aspides is the union’s response to Houthi attacks on shipping vessels transiting the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, ongoing since the fourth quarter of 2023.
Under Amsterdam’s contribution, the Royal Netherlands Navy will deploy the HNLMS Karel Doorman multi-role support ship to distribute tank ammunition, medical care, and other military equipment across the region.
The vessel will support Prosperity Guardian, a parallel operation led by the US.
HNLMS Karel Doorman
The 672-foot (204-meter) Dutch ship is equipped with a Role 2 medical facility that incorporates overseas care capabilities for injuries and life-saving surgical procedures.
The floating center is coupled with a Cougar multipurpose rotorcraft to permit the transfer of patients from onboard to ground-based hospitals.
Alongside its medical facilities, the Doorman is integrated with short-range turret systems, rapid-fire guns, remote weapons, surveillance systems, surface radar, and warning sensors.
The ship is powered by electric and diesel generators for a maximum speed of 18 knots (33 kilometers/21 miles per hour) and can carry up to 150 personnel.
“Due to the participation of [HNLMS] Karel Doorman, the EU operation in the Red Sea makes an additional contribution to the international legal order and the protection of shipping on this important European trade route,” Dutch Defence Minister Kajsa Ollongren stated.
Frigate in US-Led Operation
Last month, the government sent its HNLMS Tromp frigate for Prosperity Guardian to heighten defenses against missiles and drones launched by the Iran-backed rebels.
The ship sails up to 30 knots (56 kilometers/35 miles per hour) and accommodates up to 200 personnel.
It is armed with naval artillery, machine guns, a vertical launching system, surface-to-air and anti-ship missiles, and anti-submarine torpedoes.
Anti-Drone Operation
Days before the Tromp’s arrival, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) revealed that Prosperity Guardian neutralized 28 Houthi drones in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
CENTCOM said that the operation saw one of the largest assaults by the Yemeni group. The attacks targeted a bulk-carrier merchant vessel and “a number of American” warships.
