Dopo 13 anni, i Paesi Bassi hanno di nuovo i loro carri armati

>The Netherlands will once again receive fifty tanks of its own. Sources in The Hague confirm reports from NRC that the tanks have been included in the Defence Memorandum that Minister Brekelmans (VVD) and State Secretary Tuinman (BBB) ​​will present on Thursday.
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>This means that our country will once again receive its own tanks, the last of which were abolished in 2011 by the then cabinet. Defence is currently leasing eighteen Leopard tanks from Germany.
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>A majority in the Lower House had long been in favour of purchasing the tanks. NATO is also in favour of our country receiving its own tanks again.
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>At the beginning of this year, the Ministry of Defence calculated to the Lower House that it costs between 260 and 315 million euros per year to have a tank battalion. According to insiders, it will probably involve the Leopard 2A8 tanks, but Defence does not want to confirm this today. The ministry is also not going into amounts now.
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>In the main agreement, coalition parties agreed to structurally spend 2 percent of the gross national product on defence. This will free up a lot of money for the ministry again and the purchase and exploitation of the tanks can be paid for.
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>Many parties find it necessary to spend extra money on defense in these uncertain times, with the Russian aggression in Ukraine.

The Dutch Leopards were one of the better deals the Finnish army ever made. 100 2A6’s for mere 200 million euros.