Netherlands plans to merge land forces with Germany in spring

WORLD  02 February 2023 - 18:15

The Netherlands is getting ready to integrate the rest of its combat brigades into the German Army as the two allies join military forces amid increased security threats in the region after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The two allies are now working on integrating the Netherlands’s 13th Light Brigade into the German Army’s 10th Panzer Division, Major Mark van de Beek, a spokesperson for the Royal Netherlands Army, told Bloomberg.

The Dutch land force has three combat brigades and two of them are already integrated into the German military.

The merger of the last remaining 3,000-soldier brigade may come as early as April but the Dutch government has yet to make its final decision, said Van de Beek.

The Dutch cabinet is “investigating” the possible integration, Defence Minister Kajsa Ollongren said in a September letter to the parliament.

According to Dutch newspaper NRC, the plan will result in a joint force of around 50,000 military personnel, with roughly 8,000 soldiers coming from the Netherlands. The integration plans don’t include the Korps Commandotroepen, the special forces unit of the Dutch Army.

Van de Beek also said the Netherlands and Germany are also looking into joint purchases of military equipment and the alignment of military regulations.

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