Il Ministero della Difesa olandese continua ad acquistare nuove cose: oltre ai carri armati, anche sei aerei da combattimento, tre elicotteri e due fregate (traduzione in inglese nei commenti)

[AD.nl](https://www.ad.nl/binnenland/leger-blijft-maar-nieuwe-spullen-kopen-naast-tanks-ook-zes-straaljagers-drie-helikopters-en-twee-fregatten~afc28ce2/)

The armed forces are not yet finished buying new equipment. Not only will the army receive fifty new tanks (Leopard 2A8), the air force will also buy six additional fighter jets. The navy will be allowed to purchase three new helicopters and two frigates to detect submarines. In addition, substantial investments will be made in drones.

This is stated in the new Defence Memorandum that was presented on Thursday at the Bernhard Barracks in Amersfoort, where a tank, NH-90 helicopter and a drone were also shown.

Billions have already been invested in the armed forces in recent years, but new investments are still urgently needed according to the new cabinet. The threat of conflict has only increased since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. NATO has been complaining for years that the Netherlands still spends too little money on defence and has too little equipment.

For example, the army falls short in the heavier battle, partly because our country does not have its own tanks. This is now changing with the purchase of a full-fledged tank battalion, approximately fifty units. The army is also allowed to equip armoured infantry vehicles with heavier guns and weapons to be able to take out enemy tanks.

The navy has been allowed to make quite a few new purchases in recent years, such as new submarines, M-frigates and mine hunters. But in order to be able to be deployed for longer, new frigates are still needed that can detect and take out submarines. Additional NH-90 helicopters are also allowed to be purchased. The air force had another big wish: additional fighter jets. They are also coming.

**New drones**

Drones have been an indispensable part of the battlefield since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. All army units are getting money to purchase unmanned systems. In recent years, there has already been a lot of experimentation with this on a small scale, but major steps will be taken in the coming years. The most striking unmanned systems are those that must help tanks to explore the terrain or help to protect against drones.

Units that gather intelligence are also getting plenty of new equipment. For example, a new drone will be introduced that can map out what is happening on the ground at a very high altitude, and the armed forces will send even more satellites into space to peer down at the earth from there and gather intelligence.

After the 5 billion euros that the previous government already made available annually, the armed forces will now receive an additional 2.4 billion euros each year. The total budget for the army has thus tripled in ten years and now amounts to 24 billion euros per year. The Dutch armed forces is therefore no longer the NATO freeloader, but meets the standard of 2 percent of our national income.

*EDIT: The Netherlands currently provides Ukraine with around 2,5 billion euro’s each year in military, humanitarian and financial assistance and already earmarked money for the next few years. None of this money comes out of the MoD budget.*

So I guess it’s like Warhammer?

Don’t forget to buy the ammo. All countries always buy platforms but forget about the ammo.