Netherlands becomes LEOPARD 2 A8 Nation

The Royal Netherlands Army, the land forces of the Dutch armed forces, will once again have its own LEOPARD 2 tanks. At the Bernardkazerne in Amersfoort, Netherlands, the German Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw), on behalf of the Dutch procurement agency Commando Materieel en IT (COMMIT), signed a contract with KNDS Germany for the procurement of LEOPARD 2 A8 battle tanks. 

Based on the framework agreement established by BAAINBw, which allows other countries to procure the LEOPARD 2 in the A8 configuration, the Dutch army will receive 46 LEOPARD 2 A8 tanks with an option for six additional systems. For the first time since the decommissioning of battle tanks in 2011, the Dutch armed forces will once again have their own tank battalion. The systems will be stationed in Lohheide, Lower Saxony. Since 2016, approximately 3,000 Dutch soldiers have been integrated into the 1st Armored Division. The Dutch land forces thus underscore the close cooperation with the German army. The LEOPARD 2 battle tank is deployed in 15 European countries and symbolizes interoperability, successful standardization, and Europeanization. The LEOPARD 2 has 23 user states worldwide.