Deterring the War: Defanging Russia
ABCD 2026
Gert-Jan Kooij
Commander of Land Component Command of the Royal Netherlands Army
Major General Gert-Jan Kooij was appointed Commander of Land Component Command in June 2026, responsible for the direction and control, readiness, and deployment of all operational Royal Netherlands Army units. He previously commanded 13 Light Armoured Brigade, having served as Director of Training and Operations with the RNLA Staff and as Chief of Staff of the Directorate of Operations at the Defence Staff. Earlier brigade-level posts included the head G3 of 13 Mechanised Brigade in Oirschot, an Air Manoeuvre planner with 43 Mechanised Brigade in Havelte (NRF-4), and a deputy S3 with 11 Air Manoeuvre Brigade in Schaarsbergen. He also worked as a planner, CG2 on the staff of the 1 German/Netherlands Corps in Münster and as a Senior Policy Adviser in the Future Scenarios Division of the Defence Staff. He held command and leadership positions from platoon to battalion level at the 101 Engineer Combat Group in Wezep, the 11 Air Manoeuvre Brigade, and the 13 Mechanised Brigade, including command of 11 Engineer Company Air Assault and 41 Armoured Engineer Battalion. He deployed to UNPROFOR in Tuzla (1995), IFOR in Busovaca (1996), and ISAF as G3 of Task Force Uruzgan in Tarin Kowt, Afghanistan (2007). A graduate of the Royal Military Academy, he was commissioned into the Engineer Corps in 1989 and holds a master’s degree in strategic science from the US Army War College.
Updated: August 12, 2026