{{Infobox Military Unit |unit_name= 13th Light Brigade |native_name=13 Lichte Brigade |image=Embleem 13 Lichte Brigade.svg |caption=Logo of the 13th Light Brigade |dates=1949 – Present |country={{flag|Netherlands}} |allegiance= |branch=[[Royal Netherlands Army]] |type= [[Infantry]] |role= Light Armor |size=3,000 personnel |command_structure= [[10th Panzer Division (Bundeswehr)|10th Panzer Division]] (2023-Present) |current_commander=Brigadier General G.J. (Gert-Jan) Kooij |notable_commanders= BGen. G. (Gerard) Koot<br>BGen. Gijs van Keulen<br>BGen. M. (Michiel) van der Laan<br>BGen. T. (Tom) Middendorp<br>BGen. H. (Hans) Hardenbol |garrison=[[Oirschot]] |ceremonial_chief= |colonel_of_the_regiment= |nickname= Rhino's |patron= |motto= Vigilans et paratus |colors= Black & Yellow |march= |mascot= [[Rhino]] |battles= |anniversaries= }} The '''13th Light Brigade''' ({{langx|nl|13 Lichte Brigade}}) is one of the three combat brigades of the [[Royal Netherlands Army]], the other ones being [[11th Airmobile Brigade (Netherlands)|11th Airmobile Brigade]] and [[43rd Mechanized Brigade (Netherlands)|43rd Mechanised Brigade]].<ref>{{cite web |title=13 Lichte Brigade |url=https://www.defensie.nl/organisatie/landmacht/eenheden/13-lichte-brigade |website=defensie.nl |publisher=Ministry of Defence |access-date=27 March 2021}}</ref> The brigade is a fully motorised brigade, equipped with [[Fennek]], [[Boxer (armoured fighting vehicle)|Boxer]] and [[Bushmaster Protected Mobility Vehicle|Bushmaster]] wheeled, armoured vehicles.

==History== The brigade was formed as the 13th Motorized Brigade, and came from the 3rd Infantry Brigade. The 3rd Infantry Brigade was part of the [[First Division "7 December"]], which was formed on 1 September 1946. In 1950 the brigade was transformed into a mechanized infantry brigade, the 13th Mechanized brigade, which became part of the 4th Division and was stationed in North Germany. After the reforms of 1970 the brigade became again a part of the First Division. In the early 1990s the brigade became a fully mechanized brigade. In 2013, the brigade lost its mechanized infantry fighting vehicles and was equipped with wheeled equipment and therefore renamed 13th Light Brigade.<ref>{{cite web |title=Geschiedenis 13 Lichte Brigade |url=https://www.defensie.nl/organisatie/landmacht/eenheden/13-lichte-brigade/geschiedenis |website=defensie.nl |publisher=Ministry of Defence |access-date=27 March 2021}}</ref>

In 2023 the brigade was integrated into the German Army's [[10th Panzer Division (Bundeswehr)|10th Panzer Division]].<ref>{{Cite web |publisher=Ministry of Defence |date=30 March 2023 |title=13 Light Armoured Brigade completes integration between Dutch combat brigades and German divisions - News item - Defensie.nl |url=https://english.defensie.nl/latest/news/2023/03/30/13-light-armoured-brigade-completes-integration-between-dutch-combat-brigades-and-german-divisions |access-date=13 October 2023 |website=english.defensie.nl |language=en-GB}}</ref>

In September 2024 it was reported that the 13th Light Brigade will receive Boxer RCT30 infantry fighting vehicles.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://armyrecognition.com/news/army-news/army-news-2024/dutch-13th-light-brigade-to-receive-boxer-rct30-infantry-fighting-vehicles |title= Dutch 13th Light Brigade to receive Boxer RCT30 infantry fighting vehicles.|author= <!--Not stated--> |date=23 September 2024|website= Army Recognition |publisher= |language= }}</ref>

On the 19th of December 2025 the Dutch Armed Forces' press service announced that the 13th Brigade would receive an additional infantry battalion based in [[Budel]] and equipped with [[CV-90]] [[infantry fighting vehicle]]s, and that subsequently the brigade would be designated as 13th Medium Brigade<ref>https://www.defensie.nl/actueel/nieuws/2025/12/19/defensie-koopt-cv90-gevechtsvoertuigen</ref>

==Organization== [[File:Garde_Fuseliers_Prinses_Irene.JPG|thumb|[[Garderegiment Fuseliers Prinses Irene]] in [[the Hague]] during [[Prinsjesdag]] in 2008]] [[File:CDS Bauer Mazar-i-Sharif-1.jpg|thumb|13th Light Brigade personnel in [[Mazar-i-Sharif]], Afghanistan in 2018]]

As of March 2025 the 13 Light Brigade consists the following units:<ref name="13 Lichte Brigade">{{cite web |title=13 Lichte Brigade |url=https://www.defensie.nl/organisatie/landmacht/eenheden/13-lichte-brigade |publisher=Royal Netherlands Army |access-date=17 March 2025}}</ref>

* [[File:13 Lichte Brigade embleem embleem.svg|25px]] '''13 Light Brigade''' (13 Lichte Brigade), in [[Oirschot]]<ref name="13 Lichte Brigade"/> ** 13 Staff Company (13 Stafcompagnie), in Oirschot ** 17 Armored Infantry Battalion "[[Garderegiment Fuseliers Prinses Irene]]" (17 Pantserinfanteriebataljon "Garderegiment Fuseliers Prinses Irene"), in Oirschot *** A, B, C and D Company, with [[Boxer (armoured fighting vehicle)|Boxer]] [[armored fighting vehicle]]s ** 42 Armored Infantry Battalion "[[Regiment Limburgse Jagers]]" (42 Pantserinfanteriebataljon "Regiment Limburgse Jagers"), in Oirschot *** A, B, C and D Company, with Boxer armored fighting vehicles ** 30 Infantry Battalion (30 Infanteriebataljon) [[National Reserve Corps]], in [[Vlissingen]] *** Alpha Company (Alfa-compagnie), in Vlissingen *** Bravo Company (Bravo-compagnie), in [[Breda]] *** Charlie Company (Charlie-compagnie), in Oirschot *** Delta Company (Delta-compagnie), in [[Brunssum]] *** Echo Company (Echo-compagnie), in [[Vredepeel]] ** 41 Armored Engineer Battalion (41 Pantsergeniebataljon), in Oirschot *** Staff Company *** 411 and 412 Armored Engineer Company (411, 412 Pantsergeniecompagnie) *** Multi Role Engineer Company ** 42 Brigade Reconnaissance Squadron "[[Regiment Huzaren van Boreel]]" (42 Brigade Verkenningseskadron "Regiment Huzaren van Boreel"), in Oirschot, with [[Fennek]] reconnaissance vehicles ** 13 Medical Company (13 Geneeskundige Compagnie), in Oirschot ** 13 Maintenance Company (13 Herstelcompagnie), in Oirschot ** Robotics and Autonomous Systems Cell (Robotica en Autonome Systemen cel), in Oirschot.

In the next few years, a third armoured infantry battalion will be raised, equipped with CV90 armoured infantry vehicles, as well as 41 Field Artillery Battalion, equipped with [[PzH2000]] howitzers and [[PULS]] rocket artillery, a reserve engineer company (413 Field Engineer Company (genieveldcompagnie)) and additional medical and supply elements.

==Equipment== * 97 [[Fennek]] armoured reconnaissance vehicles * 117 [[Boxer (armoured fighting vehicle)|Boxer]] armoured vehicle in various types. * 30 [[Bushmaster Protected Mobility Vehicle|Bushmaster]] infantry mobility vehicles in various types. * 72 [[Mercedes-Benz G-Class #W461 (1992–2022)|Mercedes-Benz G280 CDI]] terrain vehicles. * 6 [[THeMIS|Milrem THeMIS]] unmanned ground vehicles.

==References== {{Reflist}}

== External links== {{Commonscat}}

[[Category:Brigades of the Netherlands]] [[Category:Military units and formations established in 1949]]