Strike from the sea: Navy to receive four new amphibious vessels under Dutch deal
The UK and the Netherlands have agreed a £2.4bn joint procurement programme to acquire eight next-generation amphibious transport ships.
Under the new maritime partnership the vessels will be built in the UK to a Dutch design, with four ships entering service with each nation.
Officially known as the Amphibious Transport Ship (ATS), in line with Dutch naming conventions, the vessels will transport troops, vehicles and equipment, including drones.
They will also have flight decks designed to operate current and future long-range drones and autonomous systems.
Posting on X, the First Sea Lord, General Sir Gwyn Jenkins, said the new ships will enable the Royal Marines to "rapidly deploy and strike from the sea".
The chosen design has yet to be announced, but the vessels will be 160 metres in length and 15,000 tonnes.
These are similar dimension to the Damen Naval Enforcer 15628 LPD concept which Navy Lookout reported had been mooted as a potential candidate in recent years.
This baseline design offers a highly flexible platform making the ships suitable for disaster response, evacuation missions, maritime security and humanitarian operations.
UK-Netherlands amphibious force
The new ships are set to form the backbone of a strengthened UK-Netherlands amphibious force, with the agreement signed by both nations' prime ministers during a meeting of Nato leaders in Turkey.
Sir Keir Starmer said: "This partnership is not just about building ships, it is also about delivering long term security for both the UK and The Netherlands, ensuring we are able to stay ahead of the threats of tomorrow.
"Combining the UK’s industrial expertise with The Netherlands’ design and sea-faring experience to deliver first-rate platforms for our elite amphibious forces, this partnership will strengthen Nato.
"I am incredibly proud that British shipyards will help deliver these ships, creating and sustaining good jobs here at home in the UK."
The agreement builds on more than 50 years of maritime cooperation through the UK-Netherlands Amphibious Force, Europe's longest-running integrated military force.
Operating the same class of amphibious transport ship will enable the Royal Navy and Royal Netherlands Navy to train, deploy and operate more closely together, strengthening Nato's ability to respond rapidly to crises.
The partnership follows the UK's recent agreement with Norway to build five Type 26 frigates for the Royal Norwegian Navy in UK shipyards, supporting 4,000 British jobs.
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