The Chief of Defence (Dutch: Commandant der Strijdkrachten, CDS) is the highest-ranking officer in the Netherlands Armed Forces and is the principal military advisor to the minister of defence.

He is also in charge of the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee, when it is operating under the guise of the minister of defence.

Just like its predecessor role the position of Chief of Defence will rotate between the branches of the military; the first Chief of Defence was General Dick Berlijn, of the Royal Netherlands Air Force.

The branch commanders are responsible for preparedness and actual deployment of their military personnel in the Netherlands and the rest of the world.

Regarding operational planning and deployment, the branch commanders take their orders directly from the Chief of Defence.