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Background
– APVs – Nyala, Bushmaster, and a Dutch Chinook Swap |
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Tough-Hided CF Antelopes for Western Winds
The Canadian Forces in Kandahar loaned five of its RG-31 Nyala blast-resistant vehicles for use
by the Dutch in Uruzgan. Two RG-31s were new APVs (Armoured Patrol Vehicles, left ) the other three were the earlier-model
Nyalas used by CF engineers as route-proving vehicles. The major difference between these variants
is armament – the newer APVs have remote-weapons stations.
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The Dutch began operations in Afghanistan with G-wagens.
But in contrast with CF G-wagons with armour kits , the
open-topped Landmacht vehicles were open-topped and extremely vulnerable. The armour-hulled RG-31 provided
considerably more protection. Anxious for the protection of 'V'-hulled, mine-resistant vehicles, the
Dutch military offered Canada a trade for the loan of RG-31s. The CF in Afghanistan would get "routine access"
to the Dutch Chinook medium-lift helicopters in exchange. This was a highly valuable offer –
it would be two years before CH-147Ds arrived.
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The Dutch army was not unprepared for its deployment to Afghanistan. The Netherlands ordered 25 Bushmaster blast resistant vehicles in mid 2006
(Australian Army 'Bushies' on the production line were released to speed up delivery but,
even so, the new vehicles would not arrive in time ). Dutch Bushmasters [1] began arriving
in Afghanistan in October of 2006. Once the Dutch Bushmasters were in available, the surviving CF RG-31s were
to be returned.[2] Meanwhile, the CF had gained vital airlift support.
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[1] The Dutch Bushmaster differs little from the Aussie original. Original plans called for a Thales
Swarm RWS. That was replaced by the Raven R-400 as planned for the ADF's follow-on order for 143
Bushies. In the meantime, manual, roof-top MAG 58 gun-rings were used.
[2] The deal struck was that should any loaned Nyalas be destroyed while in Landmacht service, the
Dutch government agreed to replace the vehicle. This helicopter support-for-armoured vehicles was not the only
example of cooperation between Canadian and Dutch forces – PzH 2000 155mm self-propelled howitzers
supported CF troops during OP Medusa, and Dutch troops temporarily took
over FOB Martello.
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