The United Kingdom and the Kingdom of the Netherlands have significantly reinforced their long-standing defence alliance, announcing an enhanced maritime partnership on 7 July 2026. This move builds upon decades of close cooperation, most notably the 53-year-old UK-Netherlands Joint Amphibious Force, and underscores a shared commitment to Euro-Atlantic security and NATO principles.
In an increasingly complex global environment, both nations are committed to deepening their defence collaboration to strengthen Europe's contribution to collective security. The partnership is designed to bolster the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF), enhance NATO's readiness and cohesion, and support the broader objectives of the 2025 UK/EU Security and Defence Partnership. A key focus is the modernisation of amphibious forces to respond effectively to evolving conventional, hybrid, and maritime threats.
The enhanced partnership is structured around four fundamental pillars, with strategic alignment being a crucial component. The UK and the Netherlands continue to work in lockstep on critical issues, including sustained support for Ukraine through military assistance, training, and multinational cooperation. This alignment also reinforces the credibility of the JEF, ensuring shared capabilities are available to a coalition of Northern European nations and strengthening NATO's regional deterrence.
A flagship project within this enhanced agenda is the cooperation on the Amphibious Transport Ship (ATS) programme. Both countries have agreed that this initiative will serve as a foundation for broader and deeper defence industrial collaboration, including future maritime capabilities. The ATS programme aims to provide a credible response to shared amphibious challenges, aligning capability requirements, preserving and modernising amphibious and littoral lift, and enhancing interoperability for the joint UK-Netherlands Specialised Advance Amphibious Force's contribution to NATO.
Beyond military capability, the joint amphibious platform is also expected to have significant strategic and industrial implications, supporting respective defence industries. This comprehensive partnership highlights a concerted effort to leverage innovation and co-develop cutting-edge defence technology to address emerging global threats, reflecting common priorities as JEF nations and their shared contribution to NATO Regional Plan North West, particularly for amphibious reinforcement.