The United Kingdom and the Netherlands have signed a £2.4 billion maritime partnership to equip British and Dutch forces with next-generation amphibious transport ships, strengthening a long-standing NATO naval relationship. The agreement, signed on 7 July 2026, sets the path for a new class of UK-Netherlands amphibious ships based on a Dutch design and built in UK shipyards with Dutch industry participation, according to the UK government announcement on the maritime partnership.
The programme will give each country four vessels, creating a common platform for the Royal Navy and the Royal Netherlands Navy. The ships are intended to transport troops, vehicles, equipment and drones, with flight decks designed for current and future long-range uncrewed systems.
UK-Netherlands amphibious ships strengthen a 50-year naval partnership
The deal builds on more than five decades of cooperation through the UK-Netherlands Amphibious Force, described by London as Europe’s longest-running integrated military force. The shared vessel class is designed to deepen interoperability, allowing both navies to train, deploy and operate more closely during NATO missions and crisis-response operations.
The agreement was signed by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten during a meeting of NATO leaders in Ankara. Reuters reported that the partnership is valued at £2.4 billion, or about $3.2 billion, and is aimed at strengthening the two countries’ amphibious capabilities within the Alliance.
“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,” Starmer said, according to Reuters reporting on the UK-Netherlands maritime partnership.
Dutch design and UK shipyards shape the new amphibious transport ships
The planned vessels will be 160 metres long and displace about 15,000 tonnes. Their role is amphibious transport: moving forces, vehicles and equipment from sea to shore, while supporting drone operations and autonomous systems. This reflects a wider shift in naval planning, where traditional sealift and landing capabilities are increasingly combined with uncrewed platforms for surveillance, logistics and operational support.
For the United Kingdom, the agreement also has a shipbuilding dimension. The ships are expected to support hundreds of high-skilled jobs in UK yards, while creating a formal industrial role for Dutch partners. Naval Today, which first highlighted the agreement for the specialist maritime audience, reported that the programme will provide next-generation amphibious ships for both forces under a joint procurement framework.
NATO maritime partnership points to drones, autonomy and High North security
The amphibious transport ship deal comes as European navies reassess readiness in the North Atlantic and the High North. London said the partnership will support cooperation on autonomous and uncrewed technology, while also helping both countries protect critical undersea infrastructure and deter threats in northern waters.
The programme also aligns with the Royal Navy’s stated transition towards a “hybrid Navy”, combining crewed warships with autonomous surface and underwater systems. For NATO, the operational value lies not only in the number of ships ordered, but in the creation of a shared amphibious architecture between two close allies.
The agreement therefore marks more than a procurement decision. It reinforces a bilateral naval force with a common platform, strengthens European amphibious readiness, and links future shipbuilding to the growing role of drones and autonomous systems in maritime operations.
