Date of Report: 23 November 2020
Defence Spending and Expenditure
General
Statement
Year
Guideline
* Estimate in
absolute
value terms
(in national
currency)
* Estimate in
percentage
terms
Source(s)/
Reference(s)

Remarks

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

2%

20%

2%

20%

2%

20%

2%

20%

2%

20%

2%

20%

10,8

2,5

11,5

3,0

11,8

3,0

12,2

3,5

12,0

3,4

12,0

3,4

1,36%

23,9%

1,48%

26,1%

1,44%

26,2%

1,45%

29,8%

1,40%

28,8%

1,37%

29,2%

Draft gross budget for 2021, presented to Parliament on the 15th of September 2020. Approval is
expected on the 3rd of December 2020. National definitions for investment spending as a
percentage of the total budget are used.

The defence spending and expenditure estimates presented in this report are based on the
draft budget. As actual expenditure can be influenced by developments throughout the
year, variations on these estimates are likely.

Capability Target Implementation
General
Statement

Source(s)/
Reference(s)

Since 2018, the Netherlands has taken steps to increase its defence spending. The 2018
National Plan confirmed the government’s aim to invest in several national prioritized
capabilities. With the 2019 Spring Memorandum, we made a start towards realizing these
capabilities. The additional budget made available has been used to invest in major
equipment (including additional F-35s), capabilities for SOF Ground, and the cyber and
information domain. These investments will have a meaningful impact on our capability to
operate in high-end scenarios, and will contribute to enhancing the readiness of the
Netherlands Armed Forces.
We are aware that the additional investments made are not fully aligned with our NATO
priority targets as identified by Allied Defence Ministers in 2017. The Netherlands
remains committed to implementing its share of the 2017 NATO Capability Targets,
hereby contributing to a strong Alliance. The recently published Defence Vision 2035
outlines the current status of the Dutch defence organization and identifies which options
and issues lie ahead in the next fifteen years, given the threats and challenges that we
face. The Defence Vision 2035 sets a clear direction for our defence organization,
providing a framework for decision making by future governments and for working with
NATO on defence planning priorities.
Defence Vision 2035: Fighting for a safer future.

Remarks

Contributions to Operations and Missions and other relevant Engagements
Focused strategic–level statement (not
more than 100 words) indicating the
forces and capabilities (including
numbers of personnel and platforms)
planned to be deployed on NATO
operations,
missions
and

The Netherlands will continue to contribute to the Resolute
Support Mission with approximately 160 pax, incremental costs
are approximately 24 million euro. In 2021, the Netherlands will
also continue to contribute to the NATO Mission in Iraq, although
the size of the contribution has not been determined yet.

engagements abroad in 2021 (the first
out year), and also any related
incremental costs, if appropriate and
available:

Focused strategic–level statement (not
more than 100 words) indicating the
forces and capabilities (including
numbers of personnel and platforms)
planned to be deployed on non-NATO
operations and missions abroad in
2021, and also any related incremental
costs, if appropriate and available:

The Netherlands will continue to provide support to the
enhanced Forward Presence battlegroup (270 pax) in Lithuania
with a motorized company in the first half of 2021 and a GermanDutch tank company in the second half of the year. Incremental
costs of this operation are approximately 30 million euro.
In 2021 the Netherlands will contribute to both the enhanced
NATO Response Force and the NATO Readiness Initiative. With
regards to NRF, the Netherlands will contribute to the VJTF’s
Composite Special Operations Component Command including
sub-units (pax 190) and will command the Standing NATO
Maritime Counter Measures Group One from a Belgian Navy
Vessel (10 pax). Furthermore, one frigate (175 pax) has been
allocated for VJTF. The Netherlands will contribute to NRI with
one frigate and one mine hunter vessel, involving 200 pax in
total. 1 GNC HQ will be on standby for NATO CRO as Joint
Taskforce HQ, including a JLSG with a total Dutch contribution
of 650 pax.
For the duration of 2021, Dutch forces (max 12 pax) will
contribute to the Global Coalition Against Daesh by continuing
our SOF-training in the Bagdad Area and our contribution to the
Targeting Process through our Target Support Cell (TSC) and
Processing Exploitation and Dissemination (PED) capability
(max 45 pax). Also, since October 2020, Dutch forces (max 35
pax) provide force protection in Jordan for Belgian F-16s
conducting operations against Daesh, for the duration of one
year. Starting January 2021, we will also provide force protection
to Erbil International Airport (max 150 pax) for the duration of
one year, to help safeguard and support the efforts of the
Coalition in Northern Iraq. For the duration of 2021 we will also
provide 2 military advisors (including the Team Lead) for the new
Operations Command Advisory Team (OCAT) North of the
Coalition, and 2 military advisors for the new Joint Operations
Command Advisory Team (JOCAT) in Bagdad.
In addition, the Netherlands will send a military transport aircraft
and personnel in support of the MINUSMA mission, starting
November 2021. Small assignments will involve 63 pax in 12
different missions (EU: 17 pax, UN: 21 pax, national or bilateral
missions: 25 pax).

Focused strategic–level statement (not
more than 100 words) indicating the
forces and capabilities (including
numbers of personnel and platforms)
planned to be deployed and/or

In 2021, the Netherlands forces will also be prepared for tasks
assigned by civil authorities, e.g. related to COVID-19.
The Netherlands contributes two air assault companies, Apache
and Chinook helicopters and a C-130 transport plane to the
2020-2 European Union Battlegroup (EUBG), led by Germany.
The EUBG is on standby from the beginning of July to the end
of December. Upon request the Netherlands has extended its

employed on other activities in 2021, EUBG commitments (excluding RW) with three months to the
and also any related incremental costs, 31st of March, 2021.
if appropriate and available:
Letter to Parliament on Dutch efforts in missions and operations (23 September 2020):
Source(s)/
Reference(s “Samenhang Nederlandse inspanningen snelle reactiemachten en missies en operaties tot en met
2021”.
)
Remarks
The number of personnel deployed on missions and operations may vary throughout the
year.
* The estimates in these two rows are only required if the information is not provided in an Ally’s response to the DPCS
for the full period. For those years where the information is not provided in the response to the DPCS, Allies are
requested to provide the information in absolute value terms (in national currency) where possible; where this is not
possible, Allies should provide the information in percentage terms. There may, therefore, be circumstances where
Allies will provide information for the full period using both rows, however, only one row should be used for each year.