Netherlands To Upgrade Its Spike Anti-Tank Missiles

The Netherlands will be spending up to €250 million on Israeli manufacturer Rafael's Spike LR2 anti-tank weapon system.

In a recent letter to the country's House of Representatives Dutch Defence Secretary Gijs Tuinman said a contract was due to be signed next month in a move that will double the range of its anti-tank weapons, used by the Army and the Marine Corps, to 5km.

The Dutch Ministry of Defence (MoD) said it expected the first of the new systems would be delivered in 2026 and would be completed by mid-2028. The Long-Range 2 (LR2) missiles will replace the 2,000 Mid-Range Anti- Tank (MRAT) Spike projectiles with a 2.5km range it acquired in 2002.

The Defence Secretary's letter observed: "The ability to eliminate enemy combat vehicles, bunkers, combat positions and helicopters at a great distance (stand-off) is essential for the safety of our military personnel. The current system is reaching the end of both its technical and operational lifespan after 25 years.

"As a result, the system is increasingly experiencing technical failure, maintenance is becoming more difficult and it cannot be further developed. Above all, the optical means for target detection and missile guidance are outdated, which limits the significantly greater range of modern anti-tank missiles.

"Replacement of the MRAT capacity is urgent, partly in view of the rapidly deteriorating security situation in Europe."

Unlike the missiles it will be replacing, the LR2 system will have Non-Line-Of-Sight (NLOS) capability with trajectory adjustments made in flight. It's already in use with 13 other allied European forces, including near neighbours Germany and Switzerland.

It's also backwards-compatible, meaning the armed forces' existing stock can be used for training and deployment too if needed. The Spike LR-2 missile can also be launched from the modernised CV90 combat vehicle used by the Netherlands and various NATO allies.