Royal Netherlands Army Artillery
Encyclopedia
The artillery
of the Royal Netherlands Army
is divided into three separate corps, undertaking two separate artillery functions:
These two corps undertake the field artillery role, and are equipped primarily with the PzH2000
and were equipped with the M109 howitzer
. There is one regiment of Veldartillerie and one of Rijdende Artillerie, with one assigned to each of the army's mechanised brigades.
This corps undertakes the air defence role. Three individual batteries were equipped with the Stinger
man-portable air defence missile and the Cheetah
armoured air defence vehicle (a variation of the Leopard 1) and are assigned to the three mechanised brigades. The rest of the unit is assigned to provide air defence for other vital areas.
The Korps Luchtdoelartillerie currently consists of the Air Defence Command (Commando Luchtdoelartillerie). 11 Air Defense Company (Air Assault) Samarinda (part of 11 Luchtmobiele Brigade
) is considered part of the Air Defense Artillery Regiment, but is an independent Air Defense Company and part of the infantry Regiment Van Heutsz
. As it is made out mostly of infantry soldiers, in order to avoid confusion, it was decided that it not be named a battery, but a company.
As of 2007 the Air Defence Command (Colua) is located at De Peel Air Base
and equipped with the NASAMS 2
Army Ground Based Air Defense Systems (Army GBADS).http://www.defensie.nl/actueel/nieuws/2009/08/27/46134896/Vernieuwing_luchtverdedigingssysteem_voltooid The regiment consists of a Joint Air Defense Center, a Staff battery, 11 Air Defense battery, 13 Air Defense battery, an instruction & training battery and the Joint Air Defense School.
Each of the two Air Defense batteries consists of a staff platoon, three Stinger Weapon Platform platoons and a NASAMS 2 Fire Unit (FU). The SWP are available in two variants: The SWP Fennek
, a four wheeled armored vehicle with the Aselsan
ready to fire Stinger surface-to-air missile launcher, and the Mercedes Benz G290GD four-wheel drive light transport vehicle, with a Dual Mounted Stinger (DMS) on a tripod, with two Stingers ready to fire.
By integrating the Low Level Air Picture (LLAP) with both VSHORAD-missiles systems into the wireless GBADS-network, which is JTIDS (Joint Tactical Information Distribution System) capable, they can bring the Recognized Air Picture (RAP) to the SWPs. This is a unique capacity and a powerful attribute to NATINEADS (NATO INtegrated and Extended Air Defense System).
Besides the SWPs the Air Defense batteries have a NASAMS II (Norwegian Advanced Surface to Air Missile System II) Fire Unit (FU). Each FU consist of a FDC (Fire Distribution Centre), a MPQ-64 Sentinel radar and 3 Launchers with 6 AIM-120B (SL)AMRAAM's ((Surface Launched) Advanced Medium Range Air to Air Missile) each.
The sensor capacity of the GBADS-network consists, besides the MPQ-64 and LLAPI (LLAP Interface), of five TRML (Telefunken Radar Mobil Luftraumuberwachung) radars. These Medium range, modular, highly reliable, countermeasures-resistant, 3D, C-band, self-contained, mobile radar systems are extremely capable in detecting areal target with a small RCS (Radar Cross Section
) like Cruise Missiles and U(C)AV's (Unmanned Aerial (Combat) Vehicle's), even at low attitudes.
, general Peter van Uhm, that all ground based air defense units, including the Air Force’s Guided Weapons Group (GGW) will be merged into a single Joint Air Defense Command at De Peel Air Base.http://www.luchtdoelartillerie.nl/index.php?pageID=nieuws&bekijk=105
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
of the Royal Netherlands Army
Royal Netherlands Army
The Royal Netherlands Army is the land forces element of the military of the Netherlands.-Short history:The Royal Netherlands Army was raised on 9 January 1814, but its origins date back to 1572, when the so-called Staatse Leger was raised...
is divided into three separate corps, undertaking two separate artillery functions:
- Korps Veldartillerie - Field Artillery
- Korps Rijdende Artillerie - Horse Artillery
These two corps undertake the field artillery role, and are equipped primarily with the PzH2000
PzH 2000
The Panzerhaubitze 2000 , abbreviated PzH 2000, is a German 155 mm self-propelled howitzer developed by Krauss-Maffei Wegmann and Rheinmetall for the German Army. The PzH 2000 is one of the most powerful conventional artillery systems currently deployed...
and were equipped with the M109 howitzer
M109 howitzer
The M109 is an American-made self-propelled 155 mm howitzer, first introduced in the early 1960s. It was upgraded a number of times to today's M109A6 Paladin...
. There is one regiment of Veldartillerie and one of Rijdende Artillerie, with one assigned to each of the army's mechanised brigades.
- Korps Luchtdoelartillerie - Air DefenceAnti-aircraft warfareNATO defines air defence as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action." They include ground and air based weapon systems, associated sensor systems, command and control arrangements and passive measures. It may be to protect naval, ground and air forces...
Artillery
This corps undertakes the air defence role. Three individual batteries were equipped with the Stinger
FIM-92 Stinger
The FIM-92 Stinger is a personal portable infrared homing surface-to-air missile , which can be adapted to fire from ground vehicles and helicopters , developed in the United States and entered into service in 1981. Used by the militaries of the U.S...
man-portable air defence missile and the Cheetah
Flugabwehrkanonenpanzer Gepard
The Flugabwehrkanonenpanzer Gepard is an autonomous, all-weather-capable German self-propelled anti-aircraft gun . It was developed in the 1960s and fielded in the 1970s, and has been upgraded several times with the latest electronics...
armoured air defence vehicle (a variation of the Leopard 1) and are assigned to the three mechanised brigades. The rest of the unit is assigned to provide air defence for other vital areas.
The Korps Luchtdoelartillerie currently consists of the Air Defence Command (Commando Luchtdoelartillerie). 11 Air Defense Company (Air Assault) Samarinda (part of 11 Luchtmobiele Brigade
11 Luchtmobiele Brigade
The 11 Luchtmobiele Brigade '7 December is the elite rapid-reaction air assault unit of the Royal Netherlands Army. Its operators are trained to be deployed via helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft , and can be deployed anywhere in the world within 7 to maximally 20 days...
) is considered part of the Air Defense Artillery Regiment, but is an independent Air Defense Company and part of the infantry Regiment Van Heutsz
Regiment Van Heutsz
The Regiment Van Heutsz is a line infantry regiment of the Royal Netherlands Army. The regiment was named after J.B. van Heutsz a former Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies, and was formed on July 1, 1950. It currently, in 2011, operates as 12 Air Assault Infantry Battalion as part of 11...
. As it is made out mostly of infantry soldiers, in order to avoid confusion, it was decided that it not be named a battery, but a company.
As of 2007 the Air Defence Command (Colua) is located at De Peel Air Base
De Peel Air Base
De Peel air base is a military air base in the Netherlands used by the Royal Netherlands Air Force guided missile division...
and equipped with the NASAMS 2
NASAMS 2
The Norwegian Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System 2 is a module-based, distributed and netted medium range air-defence system, designed by the Norwegian Kongsberg Gruppen...
Army Ground Based Air Defense Systems (Army GBADS).http://www.defensie.nl/actueel/nieuws/2009/08/27/46134896/Vernieuwing_luchtverdedigingssysteem_voltooid The regiment consists of a Joint Air Defense Center, a Staff battery, 11 Air Defense battery, 13 Air Defense battery, an instruction & training battery and the Joint Air Defense School.
Each of the two Air Defense batteries consists of a staff platoon, three Stinger Weapon Platform platoons and a NASAMS 2 Fire Unit (FU). The SWP are available in two variants: The SWP Fennek
Fennek
The Fennek, named after the fennec , or LGS Fennek, with LGS being short for Leichter Gepanzerter Spähwagen in German , is a four wheeled armed reconnaissance vehicle produced by the German company Krauss-Maffei Wegmann and Dutch Defence Vehicle Systems...
, a four wheeled armored vehicle with the Aselsan
Aselsan
Aselsan is a Turkish corporation which produces tactical military radios and defense electronic systems for the Turkish Army.- History :...
ready to fire Stinger surface-to-air missile launcher, and the Mercedes Benz G290GD four-wheel drive light transport vehicle, with a Dual Mounted Stinger (DMS) on a tripod, with two Stingers ready to fire.
By integrating the Low Level Air Picture (LLAP) with both VSHORAD-missiles systems into the wireless GBADS-network, which is JTIDS (Joint Tactical Information Distribution System) capable, they can bring the Recognized Air Picture (RAP) to the SWPs. This is a unique capacity and a powerful attribute to NATINEADS (NATO INtegrated and Extended Air Defense System).
Besides the SWPs the Air Defense batteries have a NASAMS II (Norwegian Advanced Surface to Air Missile System II) Fire Unit (FU). Each FU consist of a FDC (Fire Distribution Centre), a MPQ-64 Sentinel radar and 3 Launchers with 6 AIM-120B (SL)AMRAAM's ((Surface Launched) Advanced Medium Range Air to Air Missile) each.
The sensor capacity of the GBADS-network consists, besides the MPQ-64 and LLAPI (LLAP Interface), of five TRML (Telefunken Radar Mobil Luftraumuberwachung) radars. These Medium range, modular, highly reliable, countermeasures-resistant, 3D, C-band, self-contained, mobile radar systems are extremely capable in detecting areal target with a small RCS (Radar Cross Section
Radar cross section
Radar cross section is a measure of how detectable an object is with a radar. A larger RCS indicates that an object is more easily detected.An object reflects a limited amount of radar energy...
) like Cruise Missiles and U(C)AV's (Unmanned Aerial (Combat) Vehicle's), even at low attitudes.
Future
On September 23, 2009 it was announced, by the Commander Royal Netherlands ArmyRoyal Netherlands Army
The Royal Netherlands Army is the land forces element of the military of the Netherlands.-Short history:The Royal Netherlands Army was raised on 9 January 1814, but its origins date back to 1572, when the so-called Staatse Leger was raised...
, general Peter van Uhm, that all ground based air defense units, including the Air Force’s Guided Weapons Group (GGW) will be merged into a single Joint Air Defense Command at De Peel Air Base.http://www.luchtdoelartillerie.nl/index.php?pageID=nieuws&bekijk=105