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An update on the Netherlands' attempt to re-establish a tank battalion.
https://www.defensenews.com/global/...rs-creating-tank-battalion-but-needs-funding/
https://www.defensenews.com/global/...rs-creating-tank-battalion-but-needs-funding/
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Whilst I'm obviously in favour of any rearmament effort, I can't help but think they ought to prioritise equipping their brigades with artillery first. All things considered, it's still too early to draw many definitive lessons from the war in Ukraine but the importance of artillery it has shown once more. The Dutch heavy brigade does have a tank battalion at its disposal, but no artillery. And apparently that'll continue to be the case even in the foreseeable future, judging by the ORBAT the Dutch and German forces have agreed to assume.
All things considered, I've actually been impressed with some of the investments the Dutch have made in their armed forces post-2022. It hasn't always been the sexy stuff like more platforms, but they're investing in adding teeth to existing/incoming platforms. I seem to recall that they wanted to increase their PzH 2000 numbers? Is this true?
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The remaining six were taken out of long term storage.
Most of the emphasis in fire support has gone into rocket artillery which was completely abandoned in 2004, 120mm mortars as these have been due for replacement since at least 2011 (+ faster and cheaper) and the 81mm mortars (same story).
@muck
The reason why the Dutch units do not have organic artillery or heavy mortars is because the remaining pieces (18 and now 24 PzH-2000 and 20 120mm mortars) were pooled into a single fire support organization of which pieces can be detached to army, marine or air assault units as needed. Pure budget cuts because obviously peacekeeping operations do not need fire support
Mechanized infantry would like to have organic artillery again, but I don't see it happening.
There was talk of the marines getting (rocket) artillery, but I guess that just means PULS vehicles from the pool.
The first two PULS vehicles were supposed to have been delivered at the end of last year, but I'm guessing that got pushed back with Israel keeping every tube and missile for their own potential use against hezbollah.
I would personally like to see truck mounted 155s added since they're cheaper and a fair number of European countries produce them. PzH-2000 parts are becoming a problem as Krauss-Maffei has apparently stopped production.
The investments into the air force are way more substantial than those in the army or navy, or they are just more decisive in their decision making processes. F-35s including additional orders, Caracals, upgrading the Apaches to Echo, Chinooks to Echo, replacing C-130s with the Embraer C-390M, A330 MRTT, Reapers. Like they have nude pics of the PM
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The Dutch navy is abandoning plans to equip future air defence frigates with the SM-3 missile. Exo-atmosperic interceptors are deemed too expensive and the navy will be focussing on terminal phase interceptions with the SM-6 to cover only it's own ships instead of the country as originally envisioned. This would also likely mean that cost savings can be made on radar.
Thales is one of the few big defence contractors in the country, but what foreign nation is going to buy their premium radars when even the Dutch government itself won't. Seems like a short term save resulting in a long term loss to me ...
What BMD of critical infrastructure will look like is unclear. Considering the level of cooperation with Germany it might be Arrow 3 or an increase in Patriot batteries with the PAC3 MSE.
The BMD doctrine dated from the 2000-2006 timeframe where the projected threat was a rogue state with a limited number of missiles which obviously is completely outdated.
Ballistic missiles are seen as less of a threat or rather not as the only main threat. Missiles both hypersonic and ballistic are more maneuverable today and therefore harder to intercept.
Thales is one of the few big defence contractors in the country, but what foreign nation is going to buy their premium radars when even the Dutch government itself won't. Seems like a short term save resulting in a long term loss to me ...
What BMD of critical infrastructure will look like is unclear. Considering the level of cooperation with Germany it might be Arrow 3 or an increase in Patriot batteries with the PAC3 MSE.
The BMD doctrine dated from the 2000-2006 timeframe where the projected threat was a rogue state with a limited number of missiles which obviously is completely outdated.
Ballistic missiles are seen as less of a threat or rather not as the only main threat. Missiles both hypersonic and ballistic are more maneuverable today and therefore harder to intercept.
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The Dutch navy (really the ministry) is also looking at buying a third new ASW frigate, but there's no option in the current contract so it'll have to be renegotiated. The first ship is projected to enter service in 2029 which to me seems overly optimistic.
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Thales NL has also developed a new fire control radar in cooperation with the MoD.
The video is in Dutch.
www.armyrecognition.com
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Thales also announced that they've trippled production of radar systems.
The video is in Dutch.
Dutch Army receives first GM200 MM/C mobile radar system from Thales | Defense News February 2024 Global Security army industry | Defense Security global news industry army year 2024 | Archive News year
Dutch Army receives first GM200 MM/C mobile radar system from Thales
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Thales also announced that they've trippled production of radar systems.
Thales Nederland triples radar production
Thales Nederland has tripled its radar production over the last few years, Janes learnt while attending the company's handover of the first Ground Master 200 Multi...
www.janes.com
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Defence magazine 'hartpunkt' reports that Germany's future F127 class anti-air warfare frigates will likely be equipped with the Aegis combat system, Lockheed Martin Canada's CMS 330 battle management system and carry as their main armaments against air targets SM-3 and SM-6 interceptor missiles, and the Norwegian Tyrfing supersonic anti-ship missile against ground targets. The German Navy eyes Raytheon's SPY-6 or Lockheed Martins's SPY-7 radar as the main sensor. The article indicates that the Netherlands might be interested in a joint acquisition programme with Germany, although the contract is expected to be awarded without competitive tender. (Source)
Personally, I can't imagine the Dutch will be interested in more than partial collaboration on this subject. Germany's taste in ships has become niché as of late. Besides, the contract is firmly expected to go to either ThyssenKrupp or Luerssen, leaving out Dutch shipbuilder Damen.
In other news, the Austrian government has signed a ~$2 billion-contract for 225 Pandur Evo armoured personnel carriers with GDELS. The biggest defence programme ever for the Austrian Federal Army will comprise 8 different variants, including a reconnaissance vehicle, a tank hunter, a self-propelled anti-air gun, a self-propelled mortar, an engineering vehicle, and a protected ambulance. (Source)
I'm wondering if this contract increases or diminishes the chances of the Pandur to win Germany's tender for a replacement of the Fuchs armoured personnel carrier as a supplement to the larger Boxer. The German Army wants that vehicle as soon as possible, so soon in fact that in a move wholly uncharacteristic for German scrimpiness they handed out development subsidies to Patria, Rheinmetall and GDELS.
Personally, I can't imagine the Dutch will be interested in more than partial collaboration on this subject. Germany's taste in ships has become niché as of late. Besides, the contract is firmly expected to go to either ThyssenKrupp or Luerssen, leaving out Dutch shipbuilder Damen.
In other news, the Austrian government has signed a ~$2 billion-contract for 225 Pandur Evo armoured personnel carriers with GDELS. The biggest defence programme ever for the Austrian Federal Army will comprise 8 different variants, including a reconnaissance vehicle, a tank hunter, a self-propelled anti-air gun, a self-propelled mortar, an engineering vehicle, and a protected ambulance. (Source)
I'm wondering if this contract increases or diminishes the chances of the Pandur to win Germany's tender for a replacement of the Fuchs armoured personnel carrier as a supplement to the larger Boxer. The German Army wants that vehicle as soon as possible, so soon in fact that in a move wholly uncharacteristic for German scrimpiness they handed out development subsidies to Patria, Rheinmetall and GDELS.
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Having ships built by Damen isn't a requirement (ships could be built at different yards), the departure from the F-127 programme is due to the German demand that it has Aegis where as the Dutch want Thales. Apparently the design has to be substantially different for both.
As I've written above the Netherlands is no longer interested in the SM-3 missile, so Aegis would be more expensive than needed. The Thales systems can detect all threats and communicate with Aegis ships to have them intercept exo-atmospheric threats. There's no point in having the ability to detect, track and intercept in your radar suite when you don't have the missile to do the intercepting with.
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The Foreign Military Sales request for the F127 frigate project has been published. Apparently, the SM-3 missile has actually been dropped in favour of an effector from the TWISTER project (aiming to develop European interceptor missiles against exoatmospheric and hypersonic threats). Another new information compared to the earlier report is that the ship is also to receive the Tomahawk cruise missile, a first for the German Navy. Other effectors are to include SM-2IIIC, SM-6, Tyrfing and a 127 mm main gun for long-to-medium ranges, as well as an inner layer of defence outfitted with 27 mm guns, RIM-116 Block 2B and a 200 kW directed energy weapon from MBDA. (Source)
Currently, the MEKO A400 AMD design is being favoured for the programme. On that basis, the vessel would be outfitted with 64 vertical launch cells for air defence weapons, 32 starters for further missiles and displace well above 10,000 tons. Basically a fat Arleigh Burke with 2030's technology, but a much smaller crew. Mark my words, these ships will cost €2 billion apiece when everything is said and done.
Currently, the MEKO A400 AMD design is being favoured for the programme. On that basis, the vessel would be outfitted with 64 vertical launch cells for air defence weapons, 32 starters for further missiles and displace well above 10,000 tons. Basically a fat Arleigh Burke with 2030's technology, but a much smaller crew. Mark my words, these ships will cost €2 billion apiece when everything is said and done.
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Knowing European defence procurement they'll go with the smaller variant to save a buck only to realize afterwards that it's insufficient at every mission set.
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The replacement for the Zeven Provinciën class is expected to be north of 10,000 tons too with a minimum price tag of €2,5b for 4 ships (excluding armament, radar, communications etc). The ships will be too big for the current navy docks so a new one would have to be built.
Another €2,5b (max) should be earmarked for new weapons systems for all navy ships including the new ASW and AD&C frigates. This to me seems overly optimistic unless they plan to have near empty stocks.
A letter is expected to be sent to parliament soon to initiate the next step in the potential order(s).
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Naval Group (France) appears to be the preferred option in the tender to buy 4 new diesel-electric submarines for the Dutch navy.
A broad political support for domestic shipbuilding is less important than Mark Rutte scoring brownie points with Macron to become NATO SG. Naval Group gets major subsidies from the French state.
Damen-Saab (Netherlands-Sweden) and tkMS (Germany) are the other contenders, both with proven designs. Naval Group? They only really build nuclear powered subs, so they would have to design something from scratch.
Another round of Mark Rutte's nepotism at full display.
A broad political support for domestic shipbuilding is less important than Mark Rutte scoring brownie points with Macron to become NATO SG. Naval Group gets major subsidies from the French state.
Damen-Saab (Netherlands-Sweden) and tkMS (Germany) are the other contenders, both with proven designs. Naval Group? They only really build nuclear powered subs, so they would have to design something from scratch.
Another round of Mark Rutte's nepotism at full display.
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It will be the smaller one and considered a civilian ship because it will be paid by the Recovery and Resilience Plan from the EU
what is interesting is having Damen onboard
France's DT46 Delair UAV may be received by Ukraine. The French Navy and the French Directorate General of Armaments (DGA) tested the DT46 UAV. The DT46 VTOL type drone was developed by the French company Delair; it was previously reported that the Ukrainian army would also receive drones, the model was not specified. DT46 UAVs can be used at any time of the day, in any weather, they are capable of conducting reconnaissance" for a long time, with a fixed wing the drone can fly up to 7 hours. The VTOL version of the DT46 drone can automatically take off and land within 20 square meters, Useful UAV load is up to 5 kilograms, drone communication range is about 100 km, an encrypted channel is used.The DT46 UAV can carry various sensors, including an optical-electronic ball, LIDAR and a device for collecting data about an international mobile subscriber
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