414 Panzer Battalion

414 Tank Battalion
Panzerbattalion 414
414 Tankbataljon
Coat of arms
Active forming 2016-2019/fully operational from 2019.
Country  Netherlands  Germany
Branch Royal Netherlands Army, German Army
Type Tank
Size around 400
Garrison/HQ Bergen-Lohheide

414 Tank Battalion (German: Panzerbataillon 414, Dutch: 414 Tankbataljon) is a mixed German and Dutch tank battalion, consisting of around 100 Dutch and 300 German soldiers.[1]

The battalion has been founded in 2016, and is expected to be fully operational in 2019.[2]

Previously the German battalion, part of the 41st Panzergrenadier Brigade was active from 1991–2006 at Spechtberg. It was established on the basis of the 22nd and 23rd Panzer Regiments, 9th Panzer Division, of the Land Forces of the National People's Army, the former East German Army.[3]

On 17 March 2016, the battalion was attached to the Dutch 43rd Mechanized Brigade which is in turn a part of the German 1st Panzer Division.[4]

The barracks of 414 Panzerbattalion are in Bergen-Lohheide, Lower Saxony.

Structure

414 Tank Battalion consists of the following elements:[5]

  • Staff (German, few Dutch)
  • 1st staff company (staff and supply, mostly German, few Dutch)
  • 2nd tank company (German)
  • 3rd tank company (German)
  • 4th tank company (Dutch)
  • 5th tank company (German, reserve)[6]

Out of the 100 Dutch soldiers, 72 are tank crew. The other 28 are staff members, maintenance and support crew.

Armament

Germanu, Klietz, exercise Peacock Supremacy, February 15, 2018. A German Leopard 2 tank and a Dutch CV9035NL from the Dutch 43rd Mechanized Brigade.

The battalion's main armament is the Leopard 2 A6 main battle tank. When the unit is operational, it will have 49 tanks. In 2018 17 tanks are being upgraded to Leopard 2 A6MA2 by adding a battlefield management system. This is done anticipating the fact that 414 Tank Battalion will join the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF) of the NATO Response Force in 2019.[7][8]

Insignia of previous Panzerbataillon 414

References

  1. ↑ Improved Leopards fot German-Dutch tankbattalion Dutch Ministry if Defence
  2. ↑ Fiorenza, Nicholas (18 September 2015). "Dutch mechanized brigade to be integrated into German panzer division". Jane's Defence Weekly. Archived from the original on 22 March 2016. Retrieved 10 November 2016.
  3. ↑ "Panzerbataillon 414 n.A." Panzerbataillon184.de (in German). Retrieved 10 November 2016.
  4. ↑ "Geschichte". German Army official website (in German). Bundeswehr. 25 August 2016. Retrieved 10 November 2016.
  5. ↑ "Gliederung". German Army official website (in German). Bundeswehr. 25 August 2016. Retrieved 10 November 2016.
  6. ↑ "Panzerbataillon 414 in Lohheide". March 13, 2018. Retrieved June 14, 2018.
  7. ↑ "Digitale revolutie op rupsbanden". magazines.defensie.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 2018-06-14.
  8. ↑ "Grote sprong voorwaarts". magazines.defensie.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 2018-06-14.

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