On March 12, 2025, the Ministry of Defence of the Netherlands announced the successful completion of the first test-firing of the Tomahawk land-attack cruise missile from De Zeven Provinciën-class frigate HNLMS De Ruyter.
Dutch Navy press release
Air defense and command frigate HNLMS De Ruyter launched a Tomahawk missile yesterday. This happened off the coast of the American city of Norfolk. It was the first time a Dutch naval vessel fired this type of missile. With the test launch, the Navy is gathering necessary information. This is to eventually fire Tomahawks from the air defense and command frigates.
The Tomahawk long-range weapons allow the Navy to take out (strategic) targets deep inland from the sea. Examples include command centers, anti-aircraft installations and enemy units. The missiles have a range of more than 1,000 kilometers. The weapon gives the Royal Navy additional combat power. This helps deter potential adversaries.
The launch was led by the U.S. Navy, in cooperation with a Defense Department project team.
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Naval News comment
The decision to procure Tomahawk missiles was publicly made in April 2023 by the Dutch State Secretary for Defence as part of a “maritime strike” capability for the RNLN. The procurement of Tomahawk cruise missiles with conventional payloads is made for the air defense and command frigates (LCF) and two of the four in-service Walrus-class submarines.
The Netherlands and the U.S. targeted an initial test launch with an LCF in 2024 but due to some delays shifted to 2025. The Tomahawk upgrade is scheduled to take place during their maintenance in the 2025-2029 period. As for the submarines, the launch depends on the delivery date of the TTL version of Tomahawk. For the time being, the year 2029 is assumed.
The Tomahawk capability will be installed across the navy’s four De Zeven Provincien-class frigates via the ships’ existing Lockheed Martin strike-length Mk 41 vertical launching systems (VLSs).
About Tomahawk TLAM
Tomahawk Block IV has a longer range than its predecessors (well in excess of 1,000 miles), can be directed at a new target in mid-flight, and can also beam back images of the battlefield to its launch platform. The Royal Navy is the only foreign user of the missile to date.
According to Raytheon, U.S. and allied militaries have flight-tested the GPS-enabled Tomahawk 550 times and used it in combat more than 2,300 times. Its most recent use came in 2018, when U.S. Navy warships and submarines launched 66 Tomahawk missiles at Syrian chemical weapon facilities.
All Tomahawk Block IVs are being upgraded to Block V with longer range and dynamic targeting with the capability to hit vessels at sea (maritime strike role). Raytheon is recertifying and modernizing the missile, extending its service life by 15 years, and resulting in the new Tomahawk Block V series:
- Block V: A modernized TACTOM with upgraded navigation and communication
- Block Va: Block V that can strike moving targets at sea
- Block Vb: Block V, with a joint multi-effects warhead that can hit more diverse land targets
On the international front, the UK Royal Navy is so far the only user of the cruise missile outside of the US. This is about to change however, with both Australia and Japan set to procure Tomahawk missiles.
