The Versatile Expeditionary Commando Tactical Off Road (VECTOR) or Groundforce (GRF) is an all-terrain light tactical vehicle primarily built for the Korps Command Troops (KCT), a special unit of the Royal Netherlands Army.
The KCT operates as an independent unit to carry out special operations in enemy territory.
Recommended White Papers
Recommended Buyers Guides
The Dutch Marine Corps’ Maritime Special Operations Forces also use the vehicle in their operations.
The VECTOR tactical vehicle was developed indigenously by Defenture, a defence company based in the Netherlands, in collaboration with commandos and specialists from the Defence Materiel Organization of the Netherlands Ministry of Defence. The vehicle replaced the Mercedes-Benz (MB) G280 CDI special forces vehicles in the Dutch army.
VECTOR/GRF tactical vehicle design and features
The VECTOR/GRF tactical vehicle is built on a battlefield-proven, interchangeable, highly modular and configurable GRF platform.
It measures 5.1m in length, 1.8m in width and 2.2m in height, accommodating four to five crew members. The vehicle has a maximum total weight of 4,600kg.
The robust central spine chassis, combined with four-wheel drive and tyres on 18in aluminium rims, provides superior grip and mobility, making the vehicle an ideal option for any terrain.
Its switchable four-wheel steering offers remarkably high manoeuvrability, allowing independent rear-wheel steering.
The vehicle features a TenCate modular ballistic protection package, which includes ballistic doors with and without glass, a detachable blast plate and a foldable ballistic windscreen.
The package protects the occupants against threats such as small mines and small-calibre weapons.
Payload capacity
The vehicle can carry a payload of 1,440kg. The payload capacity allows commandos to be self-sufficient during extended patrols, carrying adequate weapons, food and water supplies for weeks.
Communication systems onboard VECTOR
The vehicle is equipped with the necessary systems to support short-range communications as well as secure 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 installation and two 24V installations.
The Vector is equipped with separated IP 67 24V electrical circuits (STANAG 2601), which provide power for both the vehicle and communication systems.
Engine and performance
The VECTOR is equipped with Steyr’s multi-fuel 3.2L six-cylinder diesel engine, offering a maximum power output of 160kW and a peak torque of 500Nm. The vehicle features a six-speed automatic gearbox and has a fuel tank capacity of 115l.
It has an operational range of 800km, with a top speed of 130km/h on paved roads and 95km/h off-road.
Mobility and transportability
A solid rubber ring is installed in the vehicle’s rims as an emergency running element, serving as a spare in case of a flat tyre. The vehicle is equipped with a front winch to assist if it gets stuck.
It also features independent rear suspension and equal suspension on all four wheels, enhancing its off-road capability. The vehicle can operate in temperatures ranging from -32°C to 49°C.
The vehicle can ford water at a depth of 750mm, with an option to increase to 860mm. It can climb almost vertically up slopes with a gradient of up to 90%. It has an angle of approach of 46.5° and a departure angle of 43.5°, and it 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 transport by air, rail, road and sea.
Armament
The VECTOR is equipped with a 7.62mm MAG medium machine gun, controllable by the co-driver from a height-adjustable seat. A 12.7mm M2 heavy machine gun or a 40mm Heckler & Koch automatic grenade launcher can be mounted on the ring carriage, which folds for transport in a Chinook helicopter.
Commandos can use smoke canister launchers at the front and rear to quickly obscure their movement from enemy sight.
Orders and deliveries
Defenture completed the delivery of 75 VECTOR vehicles to the KCT in July 2020.
In December 2022, Defenture received an order from the DMO, now known as the Dutch Material and IT Command (COMMIT), to deliver at least 41 VECTOR vehicles to the Airborne Mobile Brigade (11 LMB), a unit of the Royal Netherlands Army. The first test vehicle was handed over to COMMIT by Defenture in October 2023.
In December 2023, Armasuisse, Switzerland’s Federal Office for Defence Procurement, finalised a contract with Defenture for the supply of GRF vehicles, as part of its LAUF20 programme.
The contract builds upon an initial prototype that was delivered in 2021. The LAUF20 programme is designed to modernise the Swiss Army’s capabilities by introducing an advanced, light tactical vehicle that can be transported by air.
In April 2024, Austria’s Ministry of Defence agreed with the company for the acquisition of GRF vehicles.
The procurement allows the Bundesministerium fur Landesverteidigung to equip its Special Operations Forces (Jagdkommando) with a specialised military-off-the-shelf platform. The new vehicles will replace the PUCH G 290/LP Sandviper, enhancing the mobility and operational flexibility of the forces.
