HNLMS Tromp ( F803 ) HNLMS " Tromp " ( F803 ) ( Dutch : " Zr . Ms . " Tromp " " ) is the second De Zeven Provinciën class frigate of the Royal Netherlands Navy . It was laid down in 1999 , launched in 2001 , and commissioned in 2003 . The frigate is named after Dutch naval hero es Maarten Tromp ( 1598 – 1653 ) and Cornelis Tromp ( 1629 – 1691 ) . As of 18 June 2010 , Commander René Tas is HNLMS " Tromp ' s " commanding officer . The frigate should not be mistaken with the former HNLMS " Tromp " ( F801 ) , which was a Tromp class frigate built in the 1970s . Theatre Ballistic Missile Tracking Exercises , 2006 . In November 2006 , HNLMS " Tromp " participated in a live Theatre Ballistic Missile ( TBM ) Tracking Exercise ( TRACKEX ) . The event took place on the Pacific Missile Range Facility off Hawaii . For the TRACKEX , HNLMS " Tromp " was equipped with the experimental Extended Long Range ( ELR ) modification to its Thales Nederland SMART - L radar . During the exercise , a ballistic missile surrogate was launched from Kauai Island and was successfully tracked by the HNLMS " Tromp " using its ELR - modified SMART - L radar . Another successful TRACKEX was held in December 2006 . Deployment to the Indian Ocean , 2010 . HNLMS " Tromp " deployed to the Indian Ocean off the coast of Africa as part of Operation Atalanta , which is composed of European Union naval units . The operation is tasked with suppression of piracy in the region . On 14 March 2010 , HNLMS " Tromp " responded to a distress call from the transport ship MV " Lubeck " , which was under attack from two pirate skiff s . The " Tromp " launched her helicopter , which forced the whaler mother ship to stop . The " Tromp " then sent a boarding party to secure the vessel . The following day , the " Tromp " tracked down the two skiffs about 100 km from the whaler and stopped them . Crew from the " Tromp " sank the mother ship , and confiscated satellite phones , AK - 47 s , a rocket launcher , and boarding equipment . Three days later , on 17 March 2010 , HNLMS " Tromp " was involved in an incident with suspected pirates off the coast of eastern Africa . Two small boats approached the frigate at high speed . After realizing the " Tromp " was a warship , the pirates fled . However , the " Tromp " pursued and captured the two boats , along with a mother ship . The frigate destroyed the two boats and released the pirates to the mother ship , after it had been cleared of weapons . On 5 April 2010 , HNLMS " Tromp " rescued the container ship " MV Taipan " by rappelling 6 Marines from its Lynx helicopter ( under covering fire from the helicopter and the " Tromp " ) to the deck of the " Taipan " , resulting in the capture of 10 pirates . The 13 crew ( 2 German , 3 Russian , 8 Sri Lankan ) were unharmed having taken refuge in a secure location after stopping the ship ' s engines . State Visit Norway , 2010 . On 1 June 2010 , Queen Beatrix visited Norway with the HNLMS " Tromp " for a 3 - day state visit . 2011 Libyan civil war . On her return to her homeport in February 2011 through the Mediterranean , the ship was deployed to the Gulf of Sidra to potentially assist in the safe return of Dutch nationals during the 2011 Libyan civil war . While performing an evacuation mission near the town of Sirte , a Lynx helicopter and its three man crew were captured by members of the Libyan Army . The Dutch engineer and Swedish woman they were trying to rescue were allowed to leave Libya ; negotiations yielded the crew ' s release . July 16 , 2012 the HNLMS Tromp was seen today patrolling off the coast is Sint Maarten . See also . July 29 , 2012 the HNLMS Tromp was seen docked in Willemstad , Curaçao