414 Tank Battalion
{{Infobox military unit
| unit_name = 414 Tank Battalion
| native_name = {{unbulleted list|Panzerbataillon 414|414 Tankbataljon}}
| image = Panzerbataillon414 Wappen 2016.jpg
| caption = Coat of arms
| dates = Operational
| country = {{flag|Netherlands}}
{{flag|Germany}}
| branch = {{army|Netherlands}}
{{army|Germany}}
| type = Tank
| role =
| size = around 400
| command_structure =
| current_commander =
| identification_symbol = {{Mil Map Symbol
| UNIT SHORT NAME= 414
| PARENT SHORT NAME= 43
| UNIT ICON= Military Symbol - Friendly Unit (Solid Light 1.5x1 Frame)- Armour (NATO APP-6).svg
| UNIT SIZE ICON= NATO Map Symbol - Unit Size - Battalion.svg
| ICON SIZE= 50
}}
| identification_symbol_label = NATO Map Symbol
| garrison = Bergen-Lohheide
}}
414 Tank Battalion ({{langx|de|Panzerbataillon 414}}; {{langx|nl|414 Tankbataljon}}) is a mixed German and Dutch tank battalion, consisting of around 100 Dutch and 300 German soldiers.[https://www.defensie.nl/actueel/nieuws/2018/04/12/verbeterde-leopards-voor-duits-nederlandse-pantserbataljon Improved Leopards for German-Dutch tank battalion] Dutch Ministry of Defence
History
The battalion was founded in 2016,{{cite magazine |url=http://www.janes.com/article/54636/dutch-mechanized-brigade-to-be-integrated-into-german-panzer-division |title=Dutch mechanized brigade to be integrated into German panzer division |first=Nicholas |last=Fiorenza |magazine=Jane's Defence Weekly |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160322031908/http://www.janes.com/article/54636/dutch-mechanized-brigade-to-be-integrated-into-german-panzer-division |archive-date=22 March 2016 |date=18 September 2015 |access-date=10 November 2016}} and became fully operational in 2019.
Previously the German battalion, part of the 41st Panzergrenadier Brigade was active from 1991 to 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.{{cite web |url=http://www.panzerbataillon184.de/pzbtl_414_n_a_.html |title=Panzerbataillon 414 n.A. |language=de |work=Panzerbataillon184.de |access-date=10 November 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160405144645/http://www.panzerbataillon184.de/pzbtl_414_n_a_.html |archive-date=5 April 2016 |url-status=dead }}
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.{{cite web |url=http://www.deutschesheer.de/portal/a/heer/!ut/p/c4/TY3BDoIwEET_aNsiJugNwsWrF8VboZuySWmbZcGE-PHCwcSZ5B3mHUa91N5oV_JWKEUb1FN1A137N4yIDI4wzjILmLw5WsEHQoe8RA_lacJh7Jn8_5pt3JB7K5ZCSLE0pXocHw5hSBHloGAU2unZSmLIiSUcZmHeDZBTnTZto8_6F_Opq-JSdFWl21tzV3ma6i85w6-N/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160701042058/http://www.deutschesheer.de/portal/a/heer/!ut/p/c4/TY3BDoIwEET_aNsiJugNwsWrF8VboZuySWmbZcGE-PHCwcSZ5B3mHUa91N5oV_JWKEUb1FN1A137N4yIDI4wzjILmLw5WsEHQoe8RA_lacJh7Jn8_5pt3JB7K5ZCSLE0pXocHw5hSBHloGAU2unZSmLIiSUcZmHeDZBTnTZto8_6F_Opq-JSdFWl21tzV3ma6i85w6-N/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=1 July 2016 |title=Geschichte |language=de |work=German Army official website |publisher=Bundeswehr |date=25 August 2016 |access-date=10 November 2016}}
The barracks of 414 Panzerbattalion are in Bergen-Lohheide, Lower Saxony.
It has been described as a step towards a "European army".{{cite news |last1=Bennhold |first1=Katrin |title=A European Army? The Germans and Dutch Take a Small Step |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/20/world/europe/germany-defense-spending-european-army.html |access-date=7 May 2020 |work=The New York Times |date=20 February 2019}}
Structure
414 Tank Battalion consists of the following elements:{{cite web |url=http://www.deutschesheer.de/portal/a/heer/!ut/p/c4/TY27DoMwEAT_yMYElEcHokmZNAnpDD6Zk8zZOg4ioXx8oIiUXWmKnWL1S28lu6C3gpFs0E_d9njp3moAYOUQaJJJlEmrw0X5gOCAZ_KqOIzQDx2j_1-TpRW4s2IxhEiFKfRj_3Cg-kggOwVIcKNnK5FViixhNzPzZhQ63WamqbMy-8V8qlN-zm-lOTbX-q7TOFZfRjSS0A!!/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160322091545/http://www.deutschesheer.de/portal/a/heer/!ut/p/c4/TY27DoMwEAT_yMYElEcHokmZNAnpDD6Zk8zZOg4ioXx8oIiUXWmKnWL1S28lu6C3gpFs0E_d9njp3moAYOUQaJJJlEmrw0X5gOCAZ_KqOIzQDx2j_1-TpRW4s2IxhEiFKfRj_3Cg-kggOwVIcKNnK5FViixhNzPzZhQ63WamqbMy-8V8qlN-zm-lOTbX-q7TOFZfRjSS0A!! |url-status=dead |archive-date=22 March 2016 |title=Gliederung|language=de |work=German Army official website |publisher=Bundeswehr |date=25 August 2016 |access-date=10 November 2016}}
- 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 - from Regiment Huzaren Prinses Catharina-Amalia)
- 5th tank company (German and Dutch, reserve){{Cite web|url=http://www.deutschesheer.de/portal/a/heer/start/dienstst/1pzdiv/gliederung/43mechbrig/gliederung/panzerbataillon414/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180614195309/http://www.deutschesheer.de/portal/a/heer/start/dienstst/1pzdiv/gliederung/43mechbrig/gliederung/panzerbataillon414/|url-status=dead|archive-date=14 June 2018|title=Panzerbataillon 414 in Lohheide|date=March 13, 2018|access-date=June 14, 2018}}
Out of the 100 Dutch soldiers, 72 are tank crew. The other 28 are staff members, maintenance and support crew.
Commander since 2022 is Luitenant-kolonel (Oberstleutnant) Sebastiaan Schillemans (NL)
Equipment
File:Duitse Leopard-gevechtstank en een Nederlands CV90 tijdens een gevechtsoefening ter voorbereiding op de flitsmacht.jpg from the Dutch 43rd Mechanized Brigade.]]
The battalion's main armament is the Leopard 2 A6MA2 main battle tank. The unit has 49 tanks of these upgraded MBT's. The tank is modified with a Dutch battlefield management system. This is done anticipating the fact that 414 Tank Battalion has joined the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF) of the NATO Response Force in 2019.{{Cite web|url=https://magazines.defensie.nl/defensiekrant/2018/08/01_leopard2_08|title=Digitale revolutie op rupsbanden|website=magazines.defensie.nl|language=nl-NL|access-date=2018-06-14}}{{Cite web|url=https://magazines.defensie.nl/materieelgezien/2018/03/05_leopard|title=Grote sprong voorwaarts|website=magazines.defensie.nl|language=nl-NL|access-date=2018-06-14}}
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References
{{Reflist}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2017}}
Category:Armoured units and formations of Germany
Category:Army units and formations of the Netherlands
Category:Multinational army units and formations
Category:Germany–Netherlands military relations