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Netherlands plans more CV90 vehicles for a new battalion

The Netherlands plans to buy more CV90 infantry fighting vehicles for a new mechanised battalion in Budel, alongside engineering, recovery and support vehicles. Defence State Secretary Derk Boswijk informed parliament of the purchases. The programme also addresses faults in existing breaching equipment and includes domestic assembly of support vehicles, while a possible German bridge laying contract remains under consideration.

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An olive tracked infantry fighting vehicle seen from its rear quarter on a concrete apron outside a brick maintenance shed; its cannon points right beneath a Dutch flag.

CV90s assigned to a new Dutch battalion

The Netherlands is expanding its planned purchases of armoured vehicles, with new CV90 infantry fighting vehicles intended for a mechanised infantry battalion being formed in Budel. Defence State Secretary Derk Boswijk set out the purchases in a letter to parliament dated 26 October. The battalion will be based at the Nassau-Dietz barracks in the Netherlands. The programme covers vehicles that carry infantry into combat as well as equipment supporting their movement across obstacles and the recovery of damaged vehicles.[1], [2]

The CV90 purchase will use a Swedish-led joint procurement initiative. The Dutch defence ministry says this arrangement should accelerate delivery. It has not announced a completed delivery timetable or definite vehicle quantities and total price. The additional purchases also encompass bridge laying, breaching, heavy recovery and tracked support vehicles, rather than a single type of infantry vehicle.[1]

Kodiak faults prompt replacement plans

The ministry cites age, faults and periods out of service in its existing Kodiak breaching equipment, which is based on the Leopard 2 tank. It wants more reliable replacements for clearing minefields and other defensive obstacles. It also plans additional bridge laying tanks to create temporary crossings over water. For that purchase, joining a German contract remains an option being considered. The announcement does not present participation in that contract as a completed decision.[1]

Dutch firms will assemble support vehicles

For the army’s additional heavy armoured-vehicle recovery work, the ministry selected Wisent-2 vehicles. Tracked support will use the armoured combat support vehicle, or ACSV, from Germany’s FFG. The specified variants include ambulances, command posts, mine layers and driver-training vehicles. Van Halteren Technologies will assemble the support and recovery vehicles in the Netherlands and provide maintenance, according to the ministry. Other Dutch companies will supply components. The industrial work forms part of the announced procurement arrangements, while the new battalion’s eventual operational readiness remains a later stage.[1]

References

  1. News sourceNetherlands Ministry of DefenceNetherlands outlines armoured vehicle and recovery fleet purchases↩1↩2↩3↩4
  2. News sourceJanesNetherlands plans more CV90 and armoured support vehicles↩
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