The Ministry of Defense has ordered several billion worth of new weapons. State Secretary Christophe van der Maat (Defence, VVD) writes this in three letters to parliament on Monday. According to the State Secretary, the investment in missile systems and naval vessels is necessary to respond to the deterioration of the international security situation. All together, the new equipment will cost between 3.5 billion and 6 billion euros.
First of all, it concerns rocket artillery systems that should strengthen the firepower of the Army. Currently, Defense has no rocket artillery capability, but that is according to the Secretary of State necessary because the war in Ukraine has made it clear that fire support from the ground, for both short and long ranges, is ‘essential in land operations’. The movable systems allow for precise elimination of enemy targets, from air defense systems to supplies, up to more than 70 kilometers away.
Defense has opted for Israeli Puls systems. The United States had also made a tender for the supply of Himars rocket artillery systems, but the choice was ultimately not made. The Puls systems are cheaper, can carry more missiles and were available earlier. In addition, Puls will soon also be suitable for ammunition produced in Europe. The first systems are expected to be delivered at the end of this year. The total costs are estimated at 513.3 million euros.
Long-range armament
The firepower is also insufficient from the air and from the sea at the moment, the State Secretary writes. Defense wants to be able to attack and disable vital targets, which are often far inland and are well defended, “from a great distance” and “with great precision”. This requires modern long-range weapons. This is important not only for capacity building, but also for deterrence. Moreover, there is a political dimension, writes the State Secretary: “The Netherlands is showing its allies in NATO and the EU that it takes its responsibility for a stronger contribution to the common deterrence and defense.”
Van der Maat chooses to arm maritime ships and submarines with American Tomahawk cruise missiles, which have a range of one thousand kilometers. The first ship must be equipped with Tomahawks in 2027, and the first submarine is scheduled to follow in 2029. The cost of the cruise missiles will be somewhere between 1 and 2.5 billion euros over the next fifteen years, the letter says. From 2027, F-35 fighters will be reinforced with American JASSM-ER missiles, also with a range of about a thousand kilometers. These costs are estimated at 250 million to 1 billion euros. The State Secretary does not want to make any statements about the exact number of weapons, because this is useful information for possible opponents.
Two new warships
Finally, Defense is being strengthened with two new warships. Because the current two ships, so-called M-frigates, have reached the end of their service life, the Defense organization opts for replacement. The new Anti Submarine Warfare (ASW) frigates must not only be able to fight submarines, but also be able to act against targets at sea and on land. This is part of a joint project with Belgium, which is also acquiring two new warships. The project will cost almost 1.9 billion euros, and the first frigate should be commissioned in 2029.
Also read this interview about the purchase of weapons: Defense Secretary: ‘We are not going to clear fifteen years of backlogs in one year’