Versatile Expeditionary Commando Tactical Off Road (VECTOR) or GRF is an all-terrain light tactical vehicle primarily built for the Korps Command Troops (KCT), a special unit of the Royal Netherlands Army. KCT works as an independent unit to carry out special operations in enemy territory.
The Dutch Marine Corps’ Maritime Special Operations Forces (MARSOF) can also use the vehicle in its operations.
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The VECTOR tactical vehicle was developed indigenously by Defenture, a defence company based in the Netherlands, in association with commandos and specialists from the Defence Materiel Organization (DMO) of the Netherlands Ministry of Defence. The vehicle replaced the Mercedes-Benz (MB) G280 CDI special forces vehicles in the Dutch army.
Orders and deliveries
Defenture completed the delivery of 75 VECTOR vehicles to the KCT in July 2020.
In December 2022, Defenture received another order from the DMO to deliver at least 41 VECTOR vehicles to the Airborne Mobile Brigade (11 LMB), a unit of the Royal Netherlands Army. The first batch of the vehicles is expected to be delivered by mid-2024.
VECTOR/GRF tactical vehicle design and features
VECTOR/GRF tactical vehicle is based on a battlefield-proven interchangeable and highly modular configurable GRF platform. It measures 5.1m long, 1.8m wide and 2.2m high and can accommodate from four to five crew members.
The vehicle has a maximum total weight of 4,600kg and can carry a payload of 1,440kg. The payload capacity allows commandos to be self-reliant and go out on patrol for weeks with adequate weapons and food and water supplies.
The robust central spine chassis with four-wheel drive and tires on the 18in aluminium rims provide superior grip and mobility, making the vehicle an ideal option for any terrain. Its switchable four-wheel steering offers remarkably high manoeuvrability, which allows independent rear wheel steering.
Protection
The vehicle features TenCate modular ballistic protection package, which includes ballistic doors with and without glass, a detachable blast plate, and a foldable ballistic windscreen. The package provides protection to the occupants against threats such as small mines and small-calibre weapons.
Armament
The VECTOR is equipped with a 7.62mm MAG medium machine gun, which can be controlled by the co-driver from a height-adjustable seat. A 12.7mm M2 heavy machine gun or a 40mm Heckler & Koch automatic grenade launcher is installed on the ring carriage, which can be folded for transport in a Chinook helicopter.
The commandos can use the smoke canister launchers on the front and rear to quickly move out of the sight of enemies.
Communication systems onboard VECTOR
The vehicle is installed with the necessary equipment to support short-range communications and secured voice and data communications over long distances. It also features connections for signal jammers. The electrical systems onboard the special forces vehicle comprise a 12V and two 24V installations.
The Vector is equipped with separated IP 67 24V electrical circuits (STANAG 2601) to provide power supply for vehicle and communications.
Engine and performance
The VECTOR is equipped with Steyr’s multi-fuel 3.2l, six-cylinder diesel engine, which offers a maximum power of 160kW and a maximum torque of 500Nm. The vehicle has a six-speed automatic gearbox and a fuel tank capacity of 115l.
It has an operational range of 800km at a maximum speed of 130km/h on paved roads and 95km/h off road.
Mobility and transportability
An emergency running element in the form of a solid rubber ring is installed in the rims of the vehicle to serve as a spare wheel in case of a flat tire. It has a winch at the front, which comes to the rescue in case the vehicle gets stuck.
The vehicle features independent rear suspension, equal suspension on all four positions, which provide high off-road capability. It can be deployed for operations in temperatures ranging between -32°C and 49°C.
The vehicle can ford a depth of 750mm, with an option to increase it up to 860mm. It can climb almost vertically on slopes with a gradient of up to 90%. It has an angle of approach of 46.5° and an angle of departure of 43.5° and comes with a ground clearance of 340mm. It can cross mud and water obstacles up to a depth of 1m.
The vehicle can be transported by air either inside the Boeing CH-47 Chinook transport helicopter or as an underslung load beneath the helicopter. It also features multiple tie-down points for transportability by air, rail, road, and sea.
