Rewritten – October 2001

1. Kortenaer Class Frigates: In July 2001, the Dutch Minister of Defense announced that two Kortenaer class frigates would be decommissioned earlier than planned due to budget shortfalls. In late 1999, Defense White Paper 2000 was released, and one of the main provisions was that three of the four four remaining Kortenaer class frigates would be decommissioned between 2001 and 2005. The Pieter Florisz was decommissioned in January 2001 and sold to Greece. The Jan van Brakel is scheduled to decommission by the end of 2001, and the Philips can Almonde in May 2002. The Bloys van Treslong will be employed as a station ship in the Dutch Antilles where it will maintain a Dutch naval presence, and support drug interdiction efforts.

2. Tromp Class Frigates: The Tromp class frigate Tromp was decommissioned in 1999, and only one unit of the class, De Ruyter, remains in service. The De Ruyter, will be decommissioned in 2003 as the second unit of the De Zeven Provincien class (also De Ruyter) enters service.

3. Alkmaar (Tripartite) Class Coastal Minehunters (MHCs): The Alkmaar class MHCs Alkmaar, Delfzyl, and Dordrecht were decommissioned in 2000, leaving twelve units of the class in service. The mine countermeasures vessel (MCMV) force was reduced as per the Defense White Paper 2000, which was released in November 1999. A general reduction in the force size was needed due to budget limitations.

4. Jacob van Heemskerck Class Frigates: The two units of the Jacob van Heemskerck class, Jacob van Heemskerck and Witte De With, will be decommissioned when the third and fourth units of the De Zeven Provincien class come into service. These two units, Tromp and Evertsen, commission in March 2004 and March 2005, respectively.

5. Buyskes Class Hydrographic Survey Ships (AGSs): The AGS Blommendal was decommissioned in 2000, leaving one unit of the class in commission. The Buyskes will probably decommission in 2002 as the first unit of the new class commissions.

.Transfers

1. Kortenaer Class Frigates: The Kortenaer class frigate Pieter Florisz was decommissioned in January 2001, and sold to Greece for US$36.6M. The vessel will be the seventh unit of the Elli class in the Greek navy. Two additional units (Jan van Brakel and Philips can Almonde) will decommission by the end of 2001 and May 2002 respectively, and will probably be sold as well. Greece has expressed interest in procuring additional units of the Kortenaer class. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has also expressed an interest in procuring a third unit of the Kortenaer class. Emirate naval procurement plans continue to be delayed and the UAE Navy is considering interim measures.

None.