German firm RENK Test System (RTS) has won a significant contract to deliver a new generation of advanced testing equipment for the Royal Netherlands Army’s ground vehicle fleet.
The agreement, signed with the Dutch Army Maintenance and Logistics Command, includes a full drivetrain test rig rated at 1,500 kilowatts, along with three engine test rigs with power ratings of 1,500, 700, and 350 kilowatts.
These systems will support maintenance, repair, and overhaul activities for both tracked and wheeled vehicles, including the Leopard 2 main battle tank and associated light tactical platforms.
Installation will take place at the new Technology Center Land, a purpose-built logistics and maintenance facility currently under construction for the Dutch Army.
The new site will replace ageing infrastructure and bring test benches, workshops, and supporting technical facilities together at a single location.
RTS will be responsible for supplying the test systems as well as the associated building-related equipment.
For local construction and system integration, RTS is partnering with Van Halteren Technologies of Bunschoten, which will serve as the subcontractor for on-site activities.
While the contract value was not disclosed, RTS confirmed it is in the double-digit million-euro range.
The Netherlands currently leases around 18 Leopard 2A7 tanks from Germany for training purposes and has placed an order for 46 new Leopard 2A8 tanks, with deliveries scheduled between 2028 and 2031.
RTS Managing Director Mathias Karrer said the contract strengthens the company’s position in the specialised military test-equipment market.
The award also aligns with the Netherlands’ broader defence investment strategy, which includes a proposed increase in defence spending to €26.8 billion ($31.4 billion) for fiscal year 2026, building on a planned annual budget of €24 billion ($28.1 billion) from this year.
