Photo credit: DelamontagneNL, via Wikipedia, Zeeland’s sistership HNLMS Holland
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Putting Law Enforcement Detachments on foreign ships is now relatively routine, but a reader (thanks Gils) has informed me of a new level of cooperation. “HNLMS Zeeland, one the new Dutch (Holland class–Chuck) OPVs, left for the Dutch Caribbean yesterday. They will first go to Key West to pick up a USCG helicopter.“
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Additionally he tells me, “On January 11 the Facebook page of the Dutch MoD in the Caribbean & Caribbean Coast Guard (section) posted the following text: Yesterday a formal agreement has been agreed upon between the United States and the Netherlands to station helicopters from the U.S. Coast Guard on Dutch ships engaged in counter-narcotics operations. The ultimate form of cooperation for safety on and from the sea!”
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The Holland class are a new class of relatively large OPVs. At 3,750 tons full load they are sized between the Hamilton class and the Bertholfs. Zeeland was commissioned only last year. Deliveries of new NH90 NATO frigate helicopters to the Netherlands Navy have been delayed, this explains the need for a Coast Guard helicopter.
I wouldn’t be surprised if the US Coast Guard is taking the Holland class OPV out for a Spin to see if they like this design. I suspect the US Coast Guard likes the Holand class OPV so much that this much be their top pick for their new OPV.
And as if on cue:
http://www.uscgnews.com/go/doc/4007/2078785/Historic-international-seizure-nets-37-million-in-cocaine
Craig, I like it. CG Helo on a Royal Navy RFA (Royal Fleet Auxiliary, a primarily civilian manned ship). Unlike the Dutch they don’t have a reason for not providing their own helicopter, other than perhaps the fact that ours have more experience with this kind of use of force.
News story and Video here: http://www.stripes.com/news/coast-guard/video-coast-guard-touts-historic-37-million-cocaine-bust-1.264540
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German Navy blog “Marine Forum” reports, 6 Dec. “NETHERLANDS, In the Netherlands Navy’s „biggest drug bust“ patrol frigate „Friesland“ (rmks: currently deployed as Caribbean Station Ship) intercepted a shipment of 1,400 kilograms of cocaine off the Colombian coast.”