 On 3 July 2018 "De Ruyter" once again became the flagship of Standing NATO Maritime Group 2, taking over from the Royal Navy's , with Dutch Commodore Boudewijn G.F.M.Boots succeeding British Commodore Mike Utley.In September 2018 "De Ruyter" and Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 took part in the Hellenic Navy's biennial multinational naval Exercise Naias 2018.