A look at the Defence news 7 – 13 April
The Dutch and German ministries of Defence have agreed that the new Dutch tank battalion currently being established will be stationed at Bergen-Hohne in Germany. The location at the barracks in Niedersachsen offers a number of advantages, the main one being that Bergen-Hohne has sufficient space to conduct realistic training with the armoured vehicles.
The Netherlands lacks the necessary space for exercises and firing practice. Dutch military personnel will undergo joint training with German military personnel. The Dutch tank battalion will ultimately have 46 Leopard 2A8 battle tanks at its disposal.
Additional air defence for Ukraine
The Netherlands has pledged € 150 million to Ukraine for air-defence systems. This was announced by Netherlands Minister of Defence Ruben Brekelmans during a meeting in Brussels of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group, in which over 50 countries take part to coordinate military support to Ukraine. The systems are I-HAWK systems for medium-range air defence. Delivery will take place in cooperation with the United Kingdom.
Strengthening of cooperation in the High North
The Netherlands and Norway are consolidating their cooperation in the field of security and defence in the High North. Minister Brekelmans and his Norwegian counterpart Tore Sandvik aim to increase deterrence and stability in the region. The Netherlands and Norway will continue their efforts to improve cooperation between their armed forces, and will also explore possibilities for a reinforced presence of Dutch troops in Norway.
Dutch interests central to deployments, missions and operations
Last week, the government reported that Dutch participation in international missions and operations is to focus on the protection of Dutch interests, such as the security of the Netherlands and its allies and the protection of Dutch economic interests. This includes counteracting irregular migration and cross-border crime. The government has moreover opted to scale back long-term, large-scale military contributions in distant countries, but when necessary will still engage in targeted, small-scale operations to send a signal or ‘keep a foot in the door’. Additional deployments thus remain a possibility – for instance, if so requested by an ally or in response to unforeseen developments.