How strong is Netherlands military?
STAT | Netherlands |
---|---|
Armed forces personnel > Total | 47,000 Ranked 71st. |
Personnel | 60,000 Ranked 67th. |
Navy > Frigates | 6 Ranked 6th. |
Navy > Destroyers | 0.0 Ranked 10th. |
Armoured vehicles. The 18 tanks have been modernised and are equipped with Dutch communications and information systems. These modifications enable digital communications with Dutch units.
Netherlands Military Size - Historical Data | ||
---|---|---|
Year | Number of People | Annual % Change |
2019 | 41,000.00 | -0.99% |
2018 | 41,410.00 | 1.00% |
2017 | 41,000.00 | -0.75% |
Dutch, French and US Marines land in Norway for Exercise Cold Response 22. Marines from the Netherlands, the United States and France have landed in Norway to participate in Cold Response 22, a long-planned Norwegian-led exercise that pits NATO Allies and partners against the unique hardships of the High North.
Nuclear weapons in the Netherlands
The Netherlands is one of five NATO members to host US nuclear weapons on its territory as part of a nuclear-sharing agreement. The Dutch air force is assigned approximately 20 B61 nuclear bombs, which are deployed at Volkel Air Base.
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Royal Netherlands Air Force | |
---|---|
Roundel | |
Aircraft flown | |
Attack | MQ-9 Reaper |
Fighter | F-16, F-35A |
Royal Netherlands Navy | |
---|---|
Country | Netherlands |
Type | Navy |
Size | 7,508 Active military personnel (2021) 5(1) frigates 4 offshore patrol vessels 5 minehunters 1 Joint Support Ship 2 landing platform docks 4 submarines 40 other ships 19 helicopters: NH-90. |
Part of | Armed forces of the Netherlands |
The Netherlands Maritime Special Operations Forces (NLMARSOF, also simply referred to as MARSOF) is the special forces unit of the Marine Corps of the Royal Netherlands Navy.
The core of the armed forces consists of the four service branches: the Royal Netherlands Navy (Koninklijke Marine), the Royal Netherlands Army (Koninklijke Landmacht), the Royal Netherlands Air Force (Koninklijke Luchtmacht) and the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee (Koninklijke Marechaussee).
PowerIndex of military forces in Europe 2022
Russia had the most powerful military in Europe according to its PowerIndex score, which compares the strength and capability of different countries. According to this ranking, France had the second strongest military in Europe, followed by the UK, and then Italy.
Is Dutch part of NATO?
The Kingdom of the Netherlands became a founding member of NATO in 1949 and its unabated commitment to the international legal order gave it a much larger role in international affairs than its size would normally justify.
The Dutch Navy defeated the combined English and French fleets during the Battle of Texel, 1673.

The Kingdom of the Netherlands and its predecessor states have been engaged in a significant number of armed conflicts since 1560. During the first war after 1560, namely the Eighty Years' War (1566–1648), the set of united provinces that would later become the Dutch Republic proclaimed its independence in 1581.
Military airfields and Royal Netherlands Air Force units are dispersed throughout the Netherlands. The Air Force also has units stationed with other Dutch Defence elements and abroad.
According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), Russia owns 5,977 nuclear warheads — the highest tally in the world although about 1,500 are retired warheads awaiting dismantlement.
Although the Netherlands does not have weapons of mass destruction made by itself, the country participates in the NATO nuclear weapons sharing arrangements and trains for delivering United States nuclear weapons. U.S. nuclear weapons were first stored in the Netherlands in 1960.
Approximately 150 American B-61 nuclear gravity bombs are stationed in five countries in Europe: Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy and Turkey.
The Royal Netherlands Air Force is a modern, high-tech armed forces Service that contributes to peace and security on a global basis. For this purpose, it has highly-qualified personnel, aircraft, helicopters and other weapon systems at its disposal.
Defence Ground-based Air Defence Command protects vital Dutch and allied buildings and locations, units and areas from the ground against aircraft, helicopters, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles.
In the Netherlands, the possession of all firearms, ammunition and other weapons is prohibited. It is also forbidden to use weapons. There are some exceptions, but in those cases you will need a weapons permit.
Who are the Netherlands allies?
Across all categories, Belgium and Germany prove to be the Netherlands' top partners. Indeed, ties between the two Benelux countries are such that the Dutch prime minister is comfortable in leaving Dutch foreign policy in the hands of his Belgian counterpart (see below).
Fifty years ago, during the Second World War, Dutch and American Servicemen fought side by side to defend the universal cause of freedom and democracy. As NATO allies, we have continued to stand together to keep the transatlantic partnership strong, and to maintain the peace and security if Europe.
The Royal Marines is the strongest naval infantry force in European Union. There are 2 Albion class landing ships alongside with 3 Bay class logistical landing ships. There are 3 active Astute class nuclear-powered attack submarines.
The U.S. Army Garrison (USAG) Benelux-Brunssum is located in Brunssum, Netherlands (NL). Tucked away in the southeastern province of Limburg, we are a thirty minute drive from Belgium and Germany.
Jurisdiction | Total | Army |
---|---|---|
Netherlands | 434 | 141 |
Greece | 375 | 8 |
Portugal | 253 | 4 |
Lithuania | 236 | 5 |
U.S. Army Garrison Benelux
Situated in the countries of Belgium, The Netherlands and Germany; supports an international military community, including Supreme Headquarters, Allied Powers, Europe and NATO.
The 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines based in Camp Pendleton boasts of its combat record that stretches back to the First World War. It is also the most decorated battalion unit in the history of the Marine Corps.
The marines trace their origins back to the establishment of the Regiment de Marine on 10 December 1665, by the then grand pensionary of the Dutch Republic, Johan de Witt and famous Admiral Michiel de Ruyter.
The Royal Netherlands Army arsenal of sniper rifles includes the AWM and AX from UK firm Accuracy International and the US-made Barrett M82A1.
Bilateral relations
Bilateral trade between the two countries have increased over the years. The Netherlands are China's third largest trade partner in the EU.
Are the Dutch and British allies?
The Netherlands and the United Kingdom have a strong political and economic partnership.
The Netherlands is one of Germany's closest bilateral, EU and multilateral partners. Exports and innovation play a very important role in the Netherlands' economy.
China has the most active military personnel. Vietnam has the most military troops, including active and reserve. At 801 billion US dollars, the United States has the greatest military budget. The United States boasts the world's most powerful military.
- United States - 1,390,000.
- North Korea - 1,200,000.
- Russia - 850,000.
- Pakistan - 640,000.
- Iran - 575,000.
- South Korea - 555,000.
- Vietnam - 470,000.
- Egypt - 450,000.
In 2022, the United States had the largest number of military personnel out of all North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) countries, with 1.35 million troops.
The Netherlands ranks in the top 10 in the list of best countries to live and work in. It is top of countries like the United Kingdom, France, and Germany.
The two others—Iceland and Norway—have opted to remain outside of the EU, however participate in the EU's single market. Several EU member states were formerly members of the NATO rival Warsaw Pact.
To satisfy all parties and opinions throughout the country, the Danish government laid down limitations to NATO membership, effectively excluding the country from full military integration. The conditions were threefold: no bases, no nuclear warheads and no Allied military activity on Danish territory.
The century from the conclusion of the Twelve Years' Truce in 1609 until either the death of Prince William III in 1702 or the conclusion of the Peace of Utrecht in 1713 is known in Dutch history as the “Golden Age.” It was a unique era of political, economic, and cultural greatness during which the little nation on ...
The Eighty Years‟ war (1568-1648) had forced the Dutch to develop good strategies and ways to fund an army and a navy. Because of this, the Republic was able to field large armies and fleets, even though her territory and population were quite small. Related to this is also the aspect of economic power.
Who defeated the Dutch?
In the 1700s, the English began to fight the other colonial powers for dominance over the sub-continent. They finally defeated the Dutch in the Battle of Bedera in 1759 CE. Since then, the Dutch started losing their settlements in India one-by-one.
The Netherlands is neutral
The Netherlands remained neutral and the war passed the country by. The Dutch government was therefore careful not to take an official stand on the situation in Nazi Germany. It did not want to give cause for hostilities.
The Dutch army also used “disproportionate air raids and artillery shelling, and what were often random mass arrests and mass internment” against Indonesians during their independence war from 1945 to 1949, according to the report. The majority of Indonesians are Muslims.
The Anglo-Russian invasion of Holland (or Anglo-Russian expedition to Holland, or Helder Expedition) was a military campaign from 27 August to 19 November 1799 during the War of the Second Coalition, in which an expeditionary force of British and Russian troops invaded the North Holland peninsula in the Batavian ...
For 2022, Netherlands is ranked 37 of 142 out of the countries considered for the annual GFP review. It holds a PwrIndx* score of 0.5937 (a score of 0.0000 is considered 'perfect').
Program Stats. The Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) operates the F-35A. The Dutch program of record is for 52 aircraft.
The majority of BOA officers have the authority to carry and use handcuffs which can only be issued to officers who have the power to use force. A few councils also issue their officers, with permission from the Ministry of Safety and Justice, police batons, pepper spray and occasionally firearms.
PowerIndex of military forces in Europe 2022
Russia had the most powerful military in Europe according to its PowerIndex score, which compares the strength and capability of different countries. According to this ranking, France had the second strongest military in Europe, followed by the UK, and then Italy.
As a single nation Russia has the largest force of a European nation with 850,000 active personnel, or ready to deploy. They have another half million that they could call upon on short notice. However, Russia doesn't have the most troops in the world, that title goes to China.
The Kingdom of the Netherlands became a founding member of NATO in 1949 and its unabated commitment to the international legal order gave it a much larger role in international affairs than its size would normally justify.