Netherlands to acquire CV90 infantry fighting vehicles and heavy equipment

The Netherlands is acquiring additional CV90 infantry fighting vehicles and replacing aging engineering equipment to strengthen its army for potential large-scale conflicts. State Secretary for Defence Derk Boswijk informed parliament that the purchases will primarily bolster the army’s heavy and medium infantry brigades.

The new CV90s are intended to equip an armored infantry battalion to be established at the Nassau-Dietz barracks in Budel. This acquisition is part of a Swedish-led international initiative designed to accelerate delivery and enhance cooperation with European allies.

In addition to the CV90s, the ministry is replacing the Leopard 2-based Kodiak engineering breaching vehicles, which the ministry stated no longer provide sufficient protection against modern threats and suffer from frequent breakdowns. The upgrade includes the acquisition of bridge-laying tanks, tracked support vehicles, and heavy recovery vehicles. The Netherlands is expected to join a German contract for bridge-laying tanks, with Flensburger Fahrzeugbau Gesellschaft (FFG) supplying armored combat support vehicles and Wisent-2 heavy recovery vehicles. Dutch industry, including Van Halteren Technologies, will handle part of the assembly and maintenance work.