Netherlands Selects Thales Equipment for NATO Communication

The Netherlands defense authorities have announced their intention to procure voice and data communication equipment from Thales, a move aimed at enhancing connectivity within and between various military assets such as vehicles, weapon systems, and vessels.

State Secretary Christophe van der Maat conveyed this decision to the House of Representatives on May 22, highlighting Thales as the sole Dutch supplier meeting the technical and operational prerequisites for the Communication and Information Infrastructure (C2Infra).

By partnering with Thales, Defense is poised to leverage existing equipment within its arsenal, facilitating optimal information exchange among units. This strategic alignment is deemed imperative for international cooperation, especially concerning communication protocols with NATO allies, necessitating an upgrade of current communication systems.

The C2Infra initiative falls under the broader Platform IT Infrastructure, a component of the Foxtrot program allocated a budget ranging from €250 million to €1 billion. This segment encompasses the acquisition of firewalls to fortify communications integrity between military units.

Of particular focus within the C2Infra framework is the allocation of financial resources. Apart from its prominence as the largest sub-project, Defense has also inked agreements for smaller sub-projects, including collaborations with Dutch Technolution for essential items like laptops, crew stations, and screens.

The Foxtrot program, encompassing approximately 8,000 vehicles, 3,500 soldiers, 135 vessels, and 170 aircraft, aims to equip military assets with modern tactical communications and IT infrastructure. Through this acquisition, Defense moves closer to realizing information-driven operations, empowering operational forces to swiftly gather and analyze pertinent data, thereby facilitating expedited and informed decision-making processes.