HNLMS Johan de Witt
Dutch Rotterdam-class amphibious transport dock; first NATO ship to certify V-BAT drones at sea.
Last refreshed: 5 April 2026
How did HNLMS Johan de Witt become NATO's first warship to certify V-BAT drones at sea?
Timeline for HNLMS Johan de Witt
Dutch Navy Declares V-BAT Fully Operational
Drones: Industry & DefenceBackground
HNLMS Johan de Witt served as the platform for Arctic sea trials of Shield AI's V-BAT unmanned aircraft system in early 2026. On 30 March 2026, the Royal Netherlands Navy declared V-BAT fully operational following those trials, making de Witt the first NATO warship from which a ship-launched V-BAT capability was operationally certified.
Johan de Witt (L801) is a Rotterdam-class amphibious transport dock commissioned in 2007. She displaces approximately 12,750 tonnes at full load and can carry up to 700 marines along with a combined air group of helicopters, landing craft, and drone systems. The ship is named after the 17th-century Dutch statesman and naval strategist Johan de Witt, and frequently serves as a NATO command platform for joint exercises.
As the primary Dutch amphibious vessel, Johan de Witt operates across NATO's northern and Atlantic flanks. Her role as a V-BAT certification platform signals that large amphibious ships are viable hosts for ship-launched ISR drones, a capability other NATO allies are now watching as they plan their own drone integration programmes.
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