Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard

The Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard cutter Jaguar with two Holland-class offshore patrol vessels in the background

The three Coast Guard cutters, the Jaguar, the Panther and Puma, are Damen Stan 4100 patrol vessels.[6] They are designed for service in the coastal waters of the Caribbean islands. The cutters are suitable for carrying out all coast guard tasks. With the onboard RHIB, boarding operations can be performed. The cutter is over 41 metres (135 ft) long, has a crew of eleven and a speed exceeding 26 knots (48 km/h).

Each boat has radar, infrared cameras, night vision binoculars, an ion scanner, a fixed 12.7 mm machine gun and a rotatable water cannon. Furthermore, they are equipped with photographic and video equipment to collect evidence.[7]

The inshore boats are mostly deployed within a mile from the coast. The boats of the type RHIB Sea 700 are in service in the Coast Guard since September 13, 1997. They have a curb and therefore very suitable for carrying out boarding operations on other boats without damaging them. In addition, the boats, with a speed above 40 knots (74 km/h), are very quick and well able to chase suspicious boats and arrest suspects. The Coast Guard has six of these boats.

The Coast Guard has twelve Super Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats, or SuperRhibs. These high-speed boats, capable of speeds in excess of 40 knots (74 km/h) and highly maneuverable, are very suitable for carrying out boarding operations. The crew of the SuperRHIB can be up to six people. The SuperRHIBs have a length of 12.2 metres (40 ft), a width of 3.3 metres (11 ft), a height of 3.3 metres (11 ft) and a weight of 6,000 pounds (2,700 kg). Whereas the inshore boats operate mostly close to shore, the SuperRHIBs operate at much wider and longer distance at sea. The inboard diesel engines and the longer form of the hull allow the SuperRHIB to deal with even worse weather conditions while maintaining good sailing characteristics.

An AW139 from the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard

The DCCG employs two AgustaWestland AW139 helicopters for high speed chase, and search and rescue operations. The AgustaWestland AW139 helicopters are stationed at Coast Guard Air Station Hato and will be replaced by AgustaWestland AW189 in 2023.[8]

Since the autumn of 2007, the DCCG has two Bombardier Dash 8 Maritime Patrol Aircraft (designated MPA-D8). These planes are built to the specific needs of DCCG, based on the Coast Guard tasks such as search and rescue, and fisheries and environmental monitoring. These two Dash 8 aircraft equipped with modern means of day and at night to obtain optimal results in the performance of its duties. These resources include specially designed hatches dropping life rafts and drift / marker buoys, a high power searchlight in the nose of the aircraft with the aim to see and be seen in search situations, radar, and a communication and interlink software system. All these resources make it the ideal airplane in a coordinating role between various units and the RCC. Besides these functions, both Dash 8s can be deployed before, during and after hurricane passages to move people and resources to those areas that need help. For these missions the Dash 8s can be converted into transport aircraft configurations.

The West Indies Guard Ship (WIGS) is a ship of the Royal Netherlands Navy that rotates about every six months. It can be a frigate but more commonly one of the Navy's Holland-class offshore patrol vessels is deployed to the region.[9][10] This vessel usually carries an NHIndustries NH90 helicopter for search and rescue tasks and pursuit of suspect vessels.[11]

A special boarding team from the U.S. Coast Guard can be embarked on board the WIGS, authorized to carry out boardings beyond the territorial waters of the Dutch Caribbean islands. This cooperation between Aruba, Curaçao, the Netherlands, Sint Maarten, the United States, and other actors is formalized in the Joint Interagency Task Force South, situated in Key West, Florida, United States.

Officer ranks

NATO code	OF-10		OF-9		OF-8		OF-7		OF-6		OF-5		OF-4		OF-3		OF-2		OF-1						OF(D)						Student officer
Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard
													Kapitein der 1ste klasse		Kapitein		Stuurman der 1ste klasse		Stuurman

Enlisted ranks

NATO code	OR-9						OR-8		OR-7		OR-6						OR-5						OR-4				OR-3		OR-2						OR-1
Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard
	Opperschipper								Schipper		Bootsman												Kwartiermeester						Vol matroos der 1e klasse			Vol matroos			Matroos	Licht matroos