Thales to supply Netherlands with seven additional radars

The Netherlands has ordered seven additional GM200 MM/C radars from Thales after having ordered an initial nine in February 2019. Pictured is the first GM200 MM/C radar being handed over to the Royal Netherlands Army in Hengelo in February 2024. (Dutch MoD/Sgt Maj Gregory Fréni)

The Dutch Command Materiel and IT (COMMIT) procurement authority has ordered seven additional Ground Master 200 Multi-Mission/Compact (GM200 MM/C) radars from Thales.

The contract includes an option for two additional radars, according to a Thales announcement on 15 April.

The GM200 MM/C is a compact mobile radar that can detect, track, and classify a large number of targets including rockets, artillery shells, mortar rounds, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), aircraft, helicopters, and cruise missiles.

For the Royal Netherlands Army (RNLA), the radars will be mounted on Scania Gryphus 8×8 trucks to enable rapid deployment.

A Thales spokesperson was unable to comment to Janes on the delivery timeframes.

This latest contract follows an initial agreement in February 2019 for nine GM200 MM/C radars for EUR100–250 million (USD106–266 million) to replace its legacy TPQ-36 radars. Deliveries are expected to be completed by 2024. In February Janes witnessed the handover of the first GM200 MM/C in Hengelo. The event involved a live demonstration of the radar at the Netherlands Ministry of Defence's (MoD's) ‘t Harde firing range, which tracked 81 mm mortar rounds and 155 mm Panzerhaubitze (PzH) shells, as well as a pair of Puma UAVs.