The Royal Netherlands Navy will deploy a submarine to the Gulf of Aden from September to November 2010 as part of international efforts to combat piracy in the region.

During the deployment, the Dutch submarine will be used to monitor communication between pirate vessels and their associated groups on shore.

The Walrus-class submarine is the first Dutch contribution to NATO’s anti-piracy mission Operation Ocean Shield off the Horn of Africa.

The non-nuclear submarine is built with stealth technologies that allow the vessel to remain submerged for long periods.

NATO has recently extended Operation Ocean Shield for an additional three years beyond the current mandate, which is due to end in December 2012.