In the East China Sea, two Chinese warplanes circled the naval vessel HNLMS Tromp several times on 7 June. Also, during a patrol, the ship’s NH90 maritime combat helicopter was approached by two Chinese fighter aircraft and a helicopter.
According to the Dutch Ministry of Defence, this created a potentially unsafe situation. The incident took place in international airspace.
HNLMS Tromp was conducting patrols in the East China Sea in support of a UN multinational force overseeing the enforcement of maritime sanctions against North Korea as defined by UN Security Council resolutions.
HNLMS Tromp continued its voyage to Japan as part of “Pacific Archer 24” as scheduled.
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HNLMS Tromp
HNLMS Tromp is one of the four Dutch Air Defence and Command frigates of the De Zeven Provinciën class. The frigates are 144 metres long and 17 metres wide. The Tromp entered into service in 2003. The frigates of this class are regularly deployed for NATO missions. In 2022, for example, HNLMS De Zeven Provinciën and HNLMS Tromp acted as flagship of the Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 (SNMG1).
Photo: HNLMS Tromp (by the Dutch Ministry of Defence).
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