The Royal Netherlands Army’s VOSS soldier system incorporates a vest, backpack, E-Lynx PNR-1000 radio, and the Raptor end-user device. It is designed for mounted and/or platoon-level infantrymen. (Netherlands Ministry of Defence)

The Netherlands Armed Forces’ Improved Operational Soldier Systems (Verbeterd Operationeel Soldaat Systeem: VOSS) being delivered by Elbit Systems and Thales has ‘limitations’, Janes has learnt.

Primarily, the limitations are with electronic devices such as the radios, because the requirements have changed since they were drafted in 2008, Colonel Art van Beekhuizen, the Defence Materiel Organisation project manager for the Soldier Modernisation Programme at the Netherlands Ministry of Defence (MoD) conveyed to Janes on 20 March.

The VOSS system, otherwise called the Smart Vest, comprises the Load Carriage and Protection (LCP) equipment, backpack, and E-Lynx PNR-1000 radio. For officers and non-commissioned officers (NCOs), the system also includes the Raptor end-user device (EUD).