13th Light Brigade (Netherlands) explained

Unit Name:	13th Light Brigade
Dates:	1949–present
Country:	Netherlands
Branch:	Royal Netherlands Army
Type:	Infantry
Role:	Light
Size:	3000 personnel
Command Structure:	10th Panzer Division
Current Commander:	Brigadier General G.J. (Gert-Jan) Kooij
Notable Commanders:	BGen. G. (Gerard) Koot BGen. Gijs van Keulen BGen. M. (Michiel) van der Laan BGen. T. (Tom) Middendorp BGen. H. (Hans) Hardenbol
Garrison:	Oirschot
Nickname:	Rhino's
Motto:	Vigilans et paratus
Colors:	Black & Yellow
Mascot:	Rhino

The 13th Light Brigade (Dutch; Flemish: 13 Lichte Brigade) is one of the three combat brigades of the Royal Netherlands Army, the other ones being 11th Airmobile Brigade and 43rd Mechanised Brigade.^[1] The brigade is a fully motorised brigade, equipped with Fennek, Boxer and Bushmaster wheeled, armoured vehicles.

History

The brigade was formed as the 13th Motorized Brigade, and came from the 3rd Infantry Brigade. The 3rd Infantry Brigade was part of the First Division "7 December", which was formed on 1 September 1946. In 1950 the brigade was transformed into a mechanized infantry brigade, the 13th Mechanized brigade, which became part of the 4th Division and was stationed in North Germany. After the reforms of 1970 the brigade became again a part of the First Division. In the early 1990s the brigade became a fully mechanized brigade. In 2013, the brigade lost its mechanized infantry fighting vehicles and was equipped with wheeled equipment and therefore renamed 13th Light Brigade.^[2]

In 2023 the brigade was integrated into the German Army's 10th Panzer Division.^[3]

Organization

The 13th Light Brigade is made up by the following units:^{[4] [5]}

• 13 Light Brigade, in Oirschot
  • 13 Staff Company (13 Stafcompagnie), in Oirschot
  • 17 Armoured Infantry Battalion "Fuseliers Prinses Irene" (17 Pantserinfanteriebataljon Fuseliers Prinses Irene), in Oirschot
    • A; B; C and D Company, with Boxer armoured fighting vehicles
  • 42 Armoured Infantry Battalion "Limburgse Jagers" (42 Pantserinfanteriebataljon Limburgse Jagers), in Oirschot
    • A; B; C and D Company, with Boxer armoured fighting vehicles
  • 30 National Reserve Corps (NATRES) Battalion (30 Natresbataljon), in Oirschot
    • Alpha Company (Alfacompagnie), in Vlissingen
    • Bravo Company (Bravocompagnie), in Breda
    • Charlie Company (Charliecompagnie), in Oirschot
    • Delta Company (Deltacompagnie), in Brunssum
    • Echo Company (Echocompagnie), in Vredepeel
  • 41 Armoured Engineer Battalion (41 Pantsergeniebataljon), in Oirschot
    • Staff Company, 411 and 412 Armored Engineer Company, 414 CBRN Defense Company
  • 42 Brigade Reconnaissance Squadron "Huzaren van Boreel" (42 Brigadeverkenningseskadron Huzaren van Boreel), in Oirschot, with Fennek light armoured reconnaissance vehicles
  • 13 Medical Company (13 Geneeskundige Compagnie), in Oirschot
  • 13 Maintenance Company (13 Herstelcompagnie), in Oirschot
  • Robotics and Autonomous Systems Cell (Robotica en Autonome Systemen cel), in Oirschot

Equipment

• 97 Fennek armoured reconnaissance vehicles
• 117 Boxer armoured vehicle in various types.
• 30 Bushmaster infantry mobility vehicles in various types.
• 72 Mercedes-Benz G280 CDI terrain vehicles.
• 6 Milrem THeMIS unmanned ground vehicles.

Notes and References

1. Web site: 13 Lichte Brigade . defensie.nl . Ministry of Defence . 27 March 2021.
2. Web site: Geschiedenis 13 Lichte Brigade . defensie.nl . Ministry of Defence . 27 March 2021.
3. Web site: Ministry of Defence . 30 March 2023 . 13 Light Armoured Brigade completes integration between Dutch combat brigades and German divisions - News item - Defensie.nl . 13 October 2023 . english.defensie.nl . en-GB.
4. Web site: Gevechtseenheden . defensie.nl . Ministry of Defence . 27 March 2021.
5. Web site: Gevechtsondersteuning en logistiek . defensie.nl . Ministry of Defence . 27 March 2021.