{{Infobox military unit | unit_name = 414 Tank Battalion | native_name = {{unbulleted list|''Panzerbataillon 414''|''414 Tankbataljon''}} | image = COA PzBtl 414.png | caption = Coat of arms | dates = Operational | country = {{flag|Netherlands}}<br>{{flag|Germany}} | branch = {{army|Netherlands}}<br>{{army|Germany}} | type = [[Main battle tank|Tank]] | role = | size = around 400 | command_structure = | current_commander = | identification_symbol = {{Mil Map Symbol | UNIT SHORT NAME= 414 | PARENT SHORT NAME= 43 | UNIT ICON= Military Symbol - Friendly Unit (Solid Light 1.5x1 Frame)- Armour (NATO APP-6).svg | UNIT SIZE ICON= NATO Map Symbol - Unit Size - Battalion.svg | ICON SIZE= 50 }} | identification_symbol_label = [[NATO Joint Military Symbology|NATO Map Symbol]] | garrison = [[Bergen, Lower Saxony|Bergen-Lohheide]] }} '''414 Tank Battalion''' ({{langx|de|Panzerbataillon 414}}; {{langx|nl|414 Tankbataljon}}) is a mixed German and Dutch [[main battle tank|tank]] battalion, consisting of around 100 Dutch and 300 German soldiers.<ref>[https://www.defensie.nl/actueel/nieuws/2018/04/12/verbeterde-leopards-voor-duits-nederlandse-pantserbataljon Improved Leopards for German-Dutch tank battalion] Dutch Ministry of Defence</ref>
==History==
The battalion was founded in 2016,<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.janes.com/article/54636/dutch-mechanized-brigade-to-be-integrated-into-german-panzer-division |title=Dutch mechanized brigade to be integrated into German panzer division |first=Nicholas |last=Fiorenza |magazine=[[Jane's Defence Weekly]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160322031908/http://www.janes.com/article/54636/dutch-mechanized-brigade-to-be-integrated-into-german-panzer-division |archive-date=22 March 2016 |date=18 September 2015 |access-date=10 November 2016}}</ref> and became fully operational in 2019.<ref name=nyt/>
Previously the German battalion, part of the [[41st Panzergrenadier Brigade (Bundeswehr)|41st Panzergrenadier Brigade]] was active from 1991 to 2006 at [[Spechtberg]]. It was established on the basis of the 22nd and 23rd Panzer Regiments, 9th Panzer Division, of the [[Land Forces of the National People's Army]], the former East German Army.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.panzerbataillon184.de/pzbtl_414_n_a_.html |title=Panzerbataillon 414 n.A. |language=de |work=Panzerbataillon184.de |access-date=10 November 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160405144645/http://www.panzerbataillon184.de/pzbtl_414_n_a_.html |archive-date=5 April 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
On 17 March 2016, the battalion was attached to the Dutch [[43rd Mechanized Brigade (Netherlands)|43rd Mechanized Brigade]] which is in turn a part of the German [[1st Panzer Division (Bundeswehr)|1st Panzer Division]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.deutschesheer.de/portal/a/heer/!ut/p/c4/TY3BDoIwEET_aNsiJugNwsWrF8VboZuySWmbZcGE-PHCwcSZ5B3mHUa91N5oV_JWKEUb1FN1A137N4yIDI4wzjILmLw5WsEHQoe8RA_lacJh7Jn8_5pt3JB7K5ZCSLE0pXocHw5hSBHloGAU2unZSmLIiSUcZmHeDZBTnTZto8_6F_Opq-JSdFWl21tzV3ma6i85w6-N/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160701042058/http://www.deutschesheer.de/portal/a/heer/!ut/p/c4/TY3BDoIwEET_aNsiJugNwsWrF8VboZuySWmbZcGE-PHCwcSZ5B3mHUa91N5oV_JWKEUb1FN1A137N4yIDI4wzjILmLw5WsEHQoe8RA_lacJh7Jn8_5pt3JB7K5ZCSLE0pXocHw5hSBHloGAU2unZSmLIiSUcZmHeDZBTnTZto8_6F_Opq-JSdFWl21tzV3ma6i85w6-N/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=1 July 2016 |title=Geschichte |language=de |work=German Army official website |publisher=[[Bundeswehr]] |date=25 August 2016 |access-date=10 November 2016}}</ref>
The barracks of 414 Panzerbattalion are in [[Bergen, Lower Saxony|Bergen-Lohheide]], [[Lower Saxony]].
It has been described as a step towards a "[[European army]]".<ref name=nyt>{{cite news |last1=Bennhold |first1=Katrin |title=A European Army? The Germans and Dutch Take a Small Step |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/20/world/europe/germany-defense-spending-european-army.html |access-date=7 May 2020 |work=The New York Times |date=20 February 2019}}</ref>
==Structure== 414 Tank Battalion consists of the following elements:<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.deutschesheer.de/portal/a/heer/!ut/p/c4/TY27DoMwEAT_yMYElEcHokmZNAnpDD6Zk8zZOg4ioXx8oIiUXWmKnWL1S28lu6C3gpFs0E_d9njp3moAYOUQaJJJlEmrw0X5gOCAZ_KqOIzQDx2j_1-TpRW4s2IxhEiFKfRj_3Cg-kggOwVIcKNnK5FViixhNzPzZhQ63WamqbMy-8V8qlN-zm-lOTbX-q7TOFZfRjSS0A!!/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160322091545/http://www.deutschesheer.de/portal/a/heer/!ut/p/c4/TY27DoMwEAT_yMYElEcHokmZNAnpDD6Zk8zZOg4ioXx8oIiUXWmKnWL1S28lu6C3gpFs0E_d9njp3moAYOUQaJJJlEmrw0X5gOCAZ_KqOIzQDx2j_1-TpRW4s2IxhEiFKfRj_3Cg-kggOwVIcKNnK5FViixhNzPzZhQ63WamqbMy-8V8qlN-zm-lOTbX-q7TOFZfRjSS0A!! |url-status=dead |archive-date=22 March 2016 |title=Gliederung|language=de |work=German Army official website |publisher=[[Bundeswehr]] |date=25 August 2016 |access-date=10 November 2016}}</ref> * Staff (German, few Dutch) * 1st staff company (staff and supply, mostly German, few Dutch) * 2nd tank company (German) * 3rd tank company (German) * [[Regiment Huzaren Prinses Catharina-Amalia|4th tank company]] (Dutch - from [[Regiment Huzaren Prinses Catharina-Amalia]]) * 5th tank company (German and Dutch, reserve)<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.deutschesheer.de/portal/a/heer/start/dienstst/1pzdiv/gliederung/43mechbrig/gliederung/panzerbataillon414/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180614195309/http://www.deutschesheer.de/portal/a/heer/start/dienstst/1pzdiv/gliederung/43mechbrig/gliederung/panzerbataillon414/|url-status=dead|archive-date=14 June 2018|title=Panzerbataillon 414 in Lohheide|date=March 13, 2018|access-date=June 14, 2018}}</ref>
Out of the 100 Dutch soldiers, 72 are tank crew. The other 28 are staff members, maintenance and support crew.
Commander since 2022 is Luitenant-kolonel ([[Luitenant-kolonel|Oberstleutnant]]) Sebastiaan Schillemans (NL)
== Equipment == [[File:Duitse Leopard-gevechtstank en een Nederlands CV90 tijdens een gevechtsoefening ter voorbereiding op de flitsmacht.jpg|thumb|left|Klietz, Germany, exercise Peacock Supremacy, February 15, 2018. A German Leopard 2 tank and a Dutch [[CV90|CV9035NL]] from the Dutch 43rd Mechanized Brigade.]] The battalion's main armament is the [[Leopard 2|Leopard 2 A6]]MA2 main battle tank. The unit has 49 or 50 tanks of these upgraded MBTs. The tank is modified with the Dutch [[battlefield management system]] ELIAS (Essential Land-based Information Application & Services). This was done anticipating the fact that 414 Tank Battalion would join the [[NATO Response Force#Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF)|Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF)]] of the [[NATO Response Force]] in 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://magazines.defensie.nl/defensiekrant/2018/08/01_leopard2_08|title=Digitale revolutie op rupsbanden|website=magazines.defensie.nl|language=nl-NL|access-date=2018-06-14}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://magazines.defensie.nl/materieelgezien/2018/03/05_leopard|title=Grote sprong voorwaarts|website=magazines.defensie.nl|language=nl-NL|access-date=2018-06-14}}</ref> Additionally the German [[C4ISTAR|C3I]] ''Führungs und Informationssystem des Heeres'' and the SEM 80/90 VHF radio system can be installed.<ref>{{Cite web |title=BW – Kampfpanzer Leopard 2A6MA2 |url=http://tank-masters.de/?page_id=6790 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250326110123/http://tank-masters.de/?page_id=6790 |archive-date=26 March 2025 |access-date=26 October 2025}}</ref>
The Leopard 2A6MA2s, 50 in total, were upgraded to 2A6MA3 to match the 2A7V standard starting sometime in March-April 2019.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Fiorenza |first=Nicholas |date=9 April 2019 |title=Bundeswehr awards Leopard 2 upgrade contract |url=https://www.janes.com/osint-insights/defence-news/bundeswehr-awards-leopard-2-upgrade-contract |access-date=26 October 2025 |website=[[Janes Information Services]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=20 April 2020 |title=Bundeswehr Leopard 2 MBT At 40 ~ Part 5 |url=https://www.joint-forces.com/features/31402-bundeswehr-leopard-2-mbt-at-40-part-5 |access-date=26 October 2025 |website=Local Forces News}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=20 March 2019 |title=Verbesserungen am Leopard 2 und Geschosse für Panzerhaubitze |trans-title=Improvements to Leopard 2 and projectiles for armored howitzers |url=https://www.bmvg.de/de/aktuelles/428-millionen-verbesserung-leopard-2-geschosse-panzerhaubitze-35514 |access-date=26 October 2025 |website=[[Federal Ministry of Defence (Germany)]] |language=de}}</ref>
[[Image:PzBtl 414.jpg|thumb|right|Insignia of previous Panzerbataillon 414]] {{clearboth}}
==References== {{Reflist}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2017}}
[[Category:Armoured units and formations of Germany]] [[Category:Army units and formations of the Netherlands]] [[Category:Multinational army units and formations]] [[Category:Germany–Netherlands military relations]] [[Category:Military units and formations established in 2016]] [[Category:Tank battalions]]