Fire Support Command

Last updated
Fire Support Command
Vuursteun Commando (VustCo)
Vuursteun Commando embleem.jpg
Emblem of the VustCo
Founded25 January 2013
CountryFlag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands
BranchFlag of the Royal Netherlands Army.svg  Royal Netherlands Army
Type Artillery
Sizec. 500 active personnel
Part of Operational Support Command Land
Garrison/HQArtillerie Schietkamp in 't Harde
Commanders
Current
commander		 Colonel Michel Roelen

The Fire Support Command (Dutch: Vuursteun Commando, VustCo) is the artillery arm of the Royal Netherlands Army. [1] The command consists of 41 Artillery Battalion, a staff, the Fire Support School and the artillery training grounds and is part of the Operational Support Command Land.

Contents

The command was established on 25 January 2013 through amalgamation of the 14 Field Artillery Battalion (Dutch : 14e Afdeling Veldartillerie) and the 11 Horse Artillery Battalion (Dutch : 11 Afdeling Rijdende Artillerie).

Structure

With the establishment of 41 Artillery Battalion (Dutch : 41 Afdeling Artillerie) on 18 January 2019, the Royal Netherlands Army has returned to field an independent artillery unit. The battalion staff has since been responsible for planning and operational management of the fire support batteries, a task which used to be the responsibility of the staff of the Fire Support Command. The staff will, however, maintain responsibility over the management of the Fire Support School and the artillery training grounds. [2] Personnel of the command is divided over two corps, the Korps Veldartillerie (Field Artillery Corps) and the Korps Rijdende Artillerie (Horse Artillery Corps), the latter also known as the Gele Rijders (Yellow Riders) due to their traditional uniforms with heavy yellow braiding. The corps serve a traditional purpose and are not indicative of the size of the respective units.

On 30 April 2021, the new Delta (D) Battery of the 41 Artillery Battalion was established as a result of investments into the land-based firepower. The battery has not yet reached full strength, hence the battery was called a "battery minus". Instead of nine Pantserhouwitsers per battery, the Delta Battery fields six. [3]

Units

The Fire Support Command consists of the following units:

Additionally, the command is responsible for the:

Equipment

NameOriginTypeNumberPhotoNotes
Self-propelled howitzers
Pantserhouwitser 2000NL Flag of Germany.svg  Germany Self-propelled howitzer 24 (57) PzH2000 NL.jpg Additional six howitzers operational since April 2021 by establishment of D Battery. [4] 24 howitzers operational, another 33 in ready reserve. Capable of firing 155mm Excalibur precision-guided munition since 2018. [5] Mid-life update due between 2026 and 2028. [6]
Mortars
MO-120-RT Flag of France.svg  France 120mm mortar 16 (22) De-eerste-mortiergroep-oefent-op-het-artillerie-schietkamp-in-het-geven-van-vuursteun.jpg 16 mortars operational, due for replacement in 2023 by 20 new 120mm mortars and four loitering munition launchers. [7]
Armoured fighting vehicles
Boxer Flag of Germany.svg  Germany Armoured fighting vehicle 8 Dutch Boxer Commando Post.jpg Command Post variant in use for command and control.
Radars
Thales Multi Mission Radar Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands Mobile radar 6 New radar Defensie Grondgebonden Luchtverdedigingscommando 01.jpg In use as detection capacity for artillery support. Capable of detecting and tracking incoming missiles, artillery and unmanned aerial systems. [8] Produced by Thales Nederland.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Netherlands Armed Forces</span> Combined military forces of the Netherlands

The Netherlands Armed Forces are the military services of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The core of the armed forces consists of the four service branches: the Royal Netherlands Navy, the Royal Netherlands Army, the Royal Netherlands Air Force and the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee. The service branches are supplemented by various joint support organisations. In addition, local conscript forces exist on the Dutch Caribbean islands of Aruba (AruMil) and Curaçao (CurMil). These operate under the auspices of the Royal Netherlands Navy and the Netherlands Marine Corps. The armed forces are organisationally part of the Ministry of Defence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battalion</span> Military unit size designation

A battalion is a military unit, typically consisting of 300 to 1,000 soldiers commanded by a lieutenant colonel, and subdivided into a number of companies. The typical battalion is built from three operational companies, one weapons company and one HQ company. In some countries, battalions are exclusively infantry, while in others battalions are unit-level organisations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Netherlands Marine Corps</span> Royal Dutch Navy component

The Netherlands Marine Corps is the elite naval infantry corps of the Royal Netherlands Navy, one of the four Armed Forces of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The marines trace their origins to the establishment of the Regiment de Marine on 10 December 1665, by the then grand pensionary of the Dutch Republic, Johan de Witt and famous Admiral Michiel de Ruyter. It is the second-oldest still-active marine corps in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Netherlands Army</span> Land branch of the Netherlands Armed Forces

The Royal Netherlands Army is the land branch of the Netherlands Armed Forces. Though the Royal Netherlands Army was raised on 9 January 1814, its origins date back to 1572, when the Staatse Leger was raised making the Dutch standing army one of the oldest in the world. It fought in the Napoleonic Wars, World War II, the Indonesian War of Independence, and the Korean War, and served with NATO on the Cold War frontiers in West Germany from the 1950s to the 1990s.

The Royal Netherlands Army Artillery provides artillery support for the Royal Netherlands Army. It is divided into three corps, undertaking two roles: Korps Veldartillerie - Field Artillery and Korps Rijdende Artillerie - Horse Artillery. These two corps undertake the field artillery role. They are equipped primarily with the PzH2000 and were equipped with the M109 howitzer. Until 2013, one regiment retained the traditions of the Veldartillerie and one of the Rijdende Artillerie, with one assigned to each of the army's mechanised brigades.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Belgian Land Component</span> Military unit

The Land Component, historically and commonly still referred to as the Belgian Army, is the land branch of the Belgian Armed Forces. The King of the Belgians is the commander in chief. The current chief of staff of the Land Component is Major-General Jean-Pol Baugnée.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Reserve Corps</span> Military unit

The National Reserve Corps is a part of the Royal Netherlands Army. NATRES is a corps in the sense that it has a specialized task. The reservist is, like all Dutch military personnel, a military volunteer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">11th Airmobile Brigade (Netherlands)</span> Dutch military unit

The 11 Air Assault Brigade is the rapid light infantry brigade of the Royal Netherlands Army, focused on conducting air assault operations. Troops of the brigade are qualified to wear the maroon beret upon completion of the demanding training course, those qualified as military parachutists wear the appropriate parachutist wings. The brigade was handed the name '7 December' when the First Division 7 December was disbanded in 2004.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kopasgat</span> Special forces unit of the Indonesian Air Force

The Kopasgat is the air force infantry and special forces corps of the Indonesian Air Force. The corps is also known as the Orange Berets from the colour of their service headgear. Kopasgat is trained to seize and defend airfields from enemy forces known as Operasi Pembentukan dan Pengoperasian Pangkalan Udara Depan , airborne operations, and other specific military operations within the scope of the Indonesian Air Force.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Korps Commandotroepen</span> Special forces unit of the Royal Netherlands Army

The Korps Commandotroepen (KCT) is the elite special forces unit of the Royal Netherlands Army. The KCT traces its origins to the Second World War with the founding of No. 2 (Dutch) Troop, and the founding of the Korps Speciale Troepen during the Indonesian War of Independence. At present, the unit is tasked with conducting the full spectrum of special operations, its principal tasks being direct action, special reconnaissance, military assistance and counter-terrorism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Structure of the Royal Netherlands Army</span>

The current structure of the Royal Netherlands Army is as follows:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Artillery Battalion (Belgium)</span> Military unit

The Artillery Battalion is the only artillery battalion in the Motorized Brigade of the Belgian Armed Forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Netherlands Maritime Special Operations Forces</span> Maritime special forces

The Netherlands Maritime Special Operations Forces is the special forces unit of the Marine Corps of the Royal Netherlands Navy. It is one of the three principal units tasked with special operations in the Netherlands. The unit can be deployed worldwide to conduct special operations, including counter-terrorism both overseas and domestically, with a maritime focus. Its operations are planned and coordinated by the Netherlands Special Operations Command, as are the operations of the KCT.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Korps Inlichtingen & Veiligheid Prinses Alexia</span> Dutch military unit

The Korps Inlichtingen & Veiligheid Prinses Alexia is a corps within the Royal Netherlands Army that specializes in the gathering and processing of intelligence. The corps, together with the Korps Communicatie & Engagement Prinses Ariane, constitutes the Arm of Information Manoeuver and was established on 20 November 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joint Ground-based Air Defence Command</span> Military unit

The Joint Ground-based Air Defence Command is a joint command of the Royal Netherlands Army, formed in 2012 after amalgamation of the Commando Luchtdoelartillerie of the Royal Netherlands Army and the Groep Geleide Wapens of the Royal Netherlands Air Force. The command is responsible for all ground-based air defence tasks and consists of both army and air force personnel. The DGLC employs an integrated layered air-defence approach featuring FIM-92 Stinger, NASAMS II and MIM-104 Patriot systems.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Operational Support Command Land</span> Military unit

The Operational Support Command Land is a support command of the Royal Netherlands Army. The command consists of multiple combat support and combat service support units that provide the army with a broad variety of services. The OOCL was established in 2009, with the simultaneous disbandment of 1 Logistics Brigade and 101 Combat Support Brigade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joint ISTAR Command</span> Military unit

The Joint ISTAR Command is a joint military intelligence command of the Operational Support Command Land of the Royal Netherlands Army. The command is specialised in the gathering, analysis and distribution of military intelligence, and consists of eight operational company-sized subunits.

References

  1. ↑ "Vuursteun Commando". defensie.nl. Ministry of Defence. 16 September 2019. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  2. ↑ den Hartog, Robert (3 September 2019). "VustCo voorwaarts: 'Duidelijkheid voor iedereen'". Landmacht (in Dutch). No. 7.
  3. ↑ "Extra vuurkracht voor artillerie met oog op toenemende dreiging". Ministerie van Defensie. 30 April 2021. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  4. ↑ Ministerie van Defensie (18 January 2019). "Landmacht heeft weer zelfstandige afdeling artillerie". www.defensie.nl.
  5. ↑ Ministerie van Defensie (September 2019). "155mm Precision Guided Munition voor de PzH2000 - Rapportage Defensie Projectenoverzicht 2019, pagina 45 en 50". www.defensie.nl. Archived from the original on 13 January 2020. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
  6. ↑ Ministerie van Defensie (17 December 2020). "Verjongingskuur Pantserhouwitser wordt Duits-Nederlands project". Ministerie van Defensie.
  7. ↑ State Secretary Barbara Visser (17 December 2020). "Kamerbrief over de behoeftestelling Licht Indirect Vurend Systeem (LIVS)". Rijksoverheid. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
  8. ↑ Brouwer, Evert (19 February 2019). "Nieuwe radar voor veilige toekomst: DMO tekent contract voor 9 systemen". Materieelgezien. Vol. 1.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.