Dutch Navy Abandons to Acquire US Tomahawk for his submarines to European JSM-SL missiles.

In a letter of 17 June 2025, the Dutch Ministry of Defence confirmed to Dutch Parliament that the Royal Netherlands Navy will integrate U.S.-made Tomahawk cruise missiles on its future LC-class frigates, while abandoning plans to deploy them on the legacy Walrus-class submarines due to the obsolescence and cost of reviving the submarine-launched variant. Instead, the Netherlands has joined Spain's Joint Strike Missile- Submarine Launched (JSM‑SL) program, led by Kongsberg, to equip the upcoming Orka-class submarines with an indigenous European cruise missile capability projected to become operational by 2032.
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A Kongsberg Joint Strike Missile in flight, the baseline for the submarine-launched JSM‑SL chosen by the Dutch Navy for future Orka-class submarines (Picture source: Kongsberg)

This decision addresses the urgent need to re-establish a long-range maritime strike capability following the decommissioning of the Walrus-class submarines in 2023. With regional security concerns rising and deep-strike capabilities seen as critical for NATO interoperability and deterrence, the Netherlands has opted for a hybrid procurement model. The approach ensures rapid capability enhancement with a proven U.S. system on surface ships by 2028 through the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) process, while also investing in a sovereign European solution for submarine platforms to mature over the next decade.

This renewed investment in naval strike capability comes in the context of a rapidly evolving global maritime environment marked by intensifying great power competition, increasing militarization of the high seas, and a technological race for long-range precision weaponry. As freedom of navigation and control of strategic maritime chokepoints become central to NATO's deterrence posture, nations like the Netherlands are compelled to modernize their fleets to remain operationally relevant. The proliferation of anti-access and area-denial (A2/AD) systems by peer and near-peer adversaries demands that European navies possess both reach and survivability. The integration of standoff cruise missiles on surface ships and submarines thus becomes essential not only for national defense, but also for contributing meaningfully to joint allied operations.

The Tomahawk Block V missile selected for the LC-class frigates is a long-range, subsonic cruise missile capable of striking targets over 1,600 km away. It features a Williams F107 turbofan engine, GPS/INS guidance, TERCOM, DSMAC terrain mapping, and a two-way data link that allows for in-flight updates and retargeting. The Block Va variant includes maritime strike functionality, expanding operational flexibility. Weighing about 1,300 kg and armed with a 450 kg unitary warhead, Tomahawk offers precise engagement of fortified and time-sensitive targets. However, the submarine-launched UGM-109 version is no longer in production, and restoring it for the Royal Netherlands Navy would require reopening manufacturing lines, system integration, and extensive testing, costs unjustifiable for a limited acquisition.

In contrast, the JSM‑SL is being developed from the existing Joint Strike Missile (JSM) platform, adapted specifically for submarine use. It will be encapsulated for launch from standard 533 mm torpedo tubes, making it compatible with NATO submarine architectures like the future Orka class. The JSM‑SL has an estimated range of over 300 km and employs high subsonic speed with advanced survivability features, including low radar cross-section, sea-skimming flight profile, and evasive terminal maneuvers. It integrates a GPS/INS navigation system, a high-resolution Imaging Infrared (IIR) seeker for terminal targeting, passive RF sensors for radar homing, and a two-way data link for real-time mission flexibility. Its warhead, weighing approximately 120 kg, is designed for both soft and hardened target penetration, enhancing strike versatility in littoral and denied environments.

While the Tomahawk provides greater range and proven battlefield performance, the JSM‑SL offers substantial advantages in terms of European sovereignty, adaptability to smaller submarine platforms, and strategic autonomy. The JSM‑SL will be fully maintained, produced, and controlled within Europe, supporting the EU’s defence industrial base and reducing reliance on U.S. systems for future underwater strike missions. Technologically, it trades range for agility, stealth, and easier integration into emerging European submarines.

This dual acquisition path demonstrates the Netherlands’ strategic balance between interoperability with allied systems and the pursuit of independent European capabilities. Parliament is urged to approve Letters of Offer and Acceptance for the Tomahawk package, valued at $2.19 billion and encompassing up to 163 Block V and 12 Block IV missiles, control stations, data links, and logistics, by 31 October 2025. Concurrently, JSM‑SL development is expected to advance into its next phase by early 2026, ensuring continuity and expansion of the Royal Netherlands Navy’s maritime strike capability through 2032 and beyond.