Belgium pledges 300 Lynx combat vehicles and three minehunter vessels to Ukraine
Typical roles for the Lynx combat vehicle include reconnaissance, patrol, liaison, escort and utility. (Photo: Iveco DV)
Belgium has announced a €412 million ($450 million) military assistance package for Ukraine in the form of 300 Lynx Light Multirole Vehicle (LMV) and three minehunter ships.
The new military aid initiative, carried out together by Belgium and the Netherlands, has formed part of the BELEUX cooperation which has aimed to boost Ukraine’s military capabilities. Belgium will provide basic training, with the Netherlands offering on-the-job training, for Ukrainian crews for the minehunter vessels.
Iveco DV introduced the 4x4 LMV in 2001 to provide a vehicle with high levels of cross-country mobility and armour protection. It has continued to introduce improvements to its protection and mechanical components.
Typical roles for the vehicle include reconnaissance, patrol, liaison, escort and utility. More than 4,000 LMV1s have been sold to 15 different countries, including Italy which has ordered more than 2,000.
Brussels has pledged a total of €611 million in military aid to be provided to Ukraine throughout 2024. About half of the amount was said to have been allocated for additional artillery munitions.
EU Presidency-holder Belgium has also demonstrated its commitment to back Ukraine beyond its military needs, being part of the Ukraine Fund aimed at humanitarian aid and reconstruction of Ukraine’s hardest-hit regions.
Related Programmes in Defence Insight
Reconnaissance Drone (Ukraine Aid) [Belgium]
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Land Warfare
-
Lockheed Martin awarded $2.8 billion THAAD development contract
The contract amount for the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) Weapon System will support its continued development over the next five years, with two options to extend for up to 10 years.
-
Rheinmetall signs $3.2 billion framework agreement for platoon systems
As part of the agreement, Rheinmetall has received an initial contract for 92 platoon systems, consisting of 68 refurbished platoon systems and 24 new systems, worth approximately €417 million (US$432 million).
-
Fourth European country opts for Euro PULS rocket artillery system as Germany signs up
When compared to the German Army’s M270 227mm (12 round) Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS), Euro PULS will offer a step change increase in capability to meet the German Army’s Future Long-Range Indirect Fire System.
-
UK and US militaries advance mobile directed energy weapon systems
Recent tests have demonstrated how the UK and US armed forces have been scaling DEWs for mobile field-based operations.