Rotterdam-class landing platform dock

The Rotterdam class are two landing platform dock (LPD) ships in service with the Royal Netherlands Navy. Built by Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding at Vlissingen, their mission is to carry out amphibious warfare by transporting the bulk of the Korps Mariniers. These ships have both a large helicopter flight deck and a well deck for large landing craft, as well as space for up to 33 main battle tanks.

Rotterdam on the Nieuwe Waterweg
Class overview
NameRotterdam class
BuildersDamen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding
Operators Royal Netherlands Navy
Cost
Built1996–2007
In commission1998–present
Planned2
Completed2
Active2
General characteristics
TypeLanding platform dock
Displacement
  • 12,750 t (Rotterdam)
  • 15,500 t (Johan de Witt)
Length
  • 166 m (544 ft 7 in) (Rotterdam)
  • 176.35 m (578 ft 7 in) (Johan de Witt)
Beam
  • 27 m (88 ft 7 in) (Rotterdam)
  • 29.2 m (95 ft 10 in) (Johan de Witt)
Draft5.9 m (19 ft 4 in)
Propulsion
Speed19 knots (35 km/h; 22 mph)
Range6,000 nmi (11,000 km; 6,900 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Endurance6 weeks
Boats & landing
craft carried
  • 4 x LCVP
  • 2 × 7 m (23 ft) RHIB, up to 4 x LCVP, 2 × LCU or 1 × LCAC in welldock. (Johan de Witt)
Capacity
  • 90 armoured personnel carriers or 32 main battle tanks (Rotterdam)[3]
  • 170 armoured personnel carriers or 33 main battle tanks (Johan de Witt)
Troops
  • 595 marines (Rotterdam)
  • 555 marines (Johan de Witt)
Complement
  • 139 (Rotterdam)
  • 146 (Johan de Witt)
Sensors and
processing systems
  • Thales Netherlands Variant 2D Combined air / surface radar
  • Thales Netherlands Gatekeeper E/O Warning system
  • SATCOM, Link 11, JMCIS
Electronic warfare
& decoys		1 × AN/SLQ-25 Nixie torpedo decoy
Armament
Aircraft carried6 × NH-90 or 4 × Chinook helicopters
Aviation facilitiesHangar and stern helicopter flight deck with two landing spots

Rotterdam was commissioned in 1998 and Johan de Witt in 2007. Rotterdam and Johan de Witt are based at the Nieuwe Haven Naval Base in Den Helder, the Netherlands.

The class is the result of a joint project between Spain and the Netherlands for developing a common class of LPD that would fulfill the needs of both countries to replace older ships. This process produced the Enforcer design, which forms the basis of the Rotterdam class as well as the similar Galicia class and Bay class.

Design and description

The project began in the Netherlands in 1990 as the Royal Netherlands Navy sought a solution to their LPD requirements. Spain joined the project in July 1991 and the definition stage was completed by December 1993. The Rotterdam class spawned from the joint Enforcer design with the Dutch lead ship being authorised on 29 July 1994. The LPDs were designed to transport a battalion of marines, disembark them offshore, and provide general logistic support.

The ships are equipped with a large helicopter deck for helicopter operations and a dock for large landing craft. The ships have a complete Echelon II hospital – a step above a first aid unit, but below a fully-functional hospital[4] – including an operating theater and intensive care facilities with ten beds. A surgical team can be stationed on board. The ship also has a desalination system enabling it to convert seawater into drinking water.

Ships in class
Johan de Witt and Snellius during Trident Juncture 15
Hull number Name Builder Laid down Launched Commissioned Status Badge Notes
L800 Rotterdam Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding 23 February 1996 22 February 1997 18 April 1998 In active service [1]
L801 Johan de Witt 18 June 2003 13 May 2006 30 November 2007 In active service [2]

Construction and career

The first ship, named Rotterdam, was ordered in April 1994 and laid down by Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding at their shipyard in Vlissingen, the Netherlands on 23 February 1996. The second vessel, named Johan de Witt, was ordered in May 2002 and laid down on 18 June 2003. Rotterdam was commissioned on 22 February 1997 and Johan de Witt on 30 November 2007. Both ships are based at Nieuwe Haven Naval Base, Den Helder.

In October 2012, while serving as the flagship for Operation Ocean Shield, Rotterdam sank a suspected Somali pirate ship off the east coast of Africa.[5] Rotterdam came under sustained attack from shore based weapons while rescuing the crew of the sunken ship and sustained damage to one of her small boats.[6]

In September 2019 Johan de Witt and Snellius were sent to the Bahamas for humanitarian aid after the country was hit by Hurricane Dorian. The ships loaded supplies like food, water and medicines at the island of Sint Maarten before continuing to the Bahamas.[7]

See also

Citations
  1. "Zr.Ms. Rotterdam (L800) LPD". marineschepen.nl.
  2. "Johan de Witt Landing Platform Dock". marineschepen.nl.
  3. "Amfibische transportschepen" (in Dutch). Koninklijke Marine. Retrieved 7 November 2011.
  4. "Role/Echelon 2". U Project. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
  5. "Dutch Warship Destroys Pirate 'Mother Ship'". ABC News. 24 October 2012. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
  6. "Counterpiracy Flagship Comes Under Fire Off Somalia's Coast". United States Department of Defense. 25 October 2012. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
  7. "Twee Nederlandse marineschepen naar Bahama's voor hulpverlening". www.nu.nl. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
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