The newest addition patrols during the summit in the North Sea. There, it enhances the so-called Situational Awareness and is expected to have a deterrent effect.
Special Hiring Arrangement
Defence is hiring the civil ship pending the arrival of 2 multifunctional support vessels, expected in 2027. Due to a special hiring arrangement, the so-called state ship is allowed to detect, escort, assist, and monitor.
The crew of the Galatea consists of civilians from the Dutch company Fugro, specialized in areas such as soil research. The civilian crew may be supplemented with military personnel from the navy depending on the mission. If necessary, it can be scaled up. The ship can call upon navy vessels or other units from Defence.
Room for Other Tasks
With the arrival of the Galatea, naval vessels have more room for other tasks. This allows Defence to deploy units more efficiently and effectively with regard to main task 1, which is the potential defense of NATO territory. Given the increased threat, this is not an unnecessary luxury. The MIVD has been warning for several years that Russia is secretly mapping vital infrastructure in the North Sea.
The North Sea Infrastructure Protection Program (PBNI) from the Ministry of Infrastructure & Water Management provided funding for the Galatea.