Bertin Exensor and COMMIT signed 45M€ contract
Bertin Exensor has been awarded the frame-contract for the delivery of Unmanned Unattended Ground Sensors (UUGS).
Commander COMMIT Admiral Jan Willem Hartman and VP Sales Director of Bertin Exensor Mr. Marcus Rosenqvist signed the 9-year €45 million contract during the NEDS exhibition in Rotterdam on 20th November.
Following the official signing ceremony, Bertin Exensor has received the first major call-off order, valued at nearly €30 million This order ensures the continued delivery of Flexnet UUGS systems to multiple branches of the Dutch Armed Forces. The first shipments are scheduled for late 2025 with deliveries continuing throughout 2026 and 2027.
Major Snoek, Senior Staffofficer Reconnaissance, Ground Manoeuvre Knowledge Center
I first employed the Flexnet UUGS after they were initially acquired for deployment with Dutch forces in Afghanistan. The system was later succesfully used during operations in Mali, Lithuania and in the Netherlands to support civil authorities, such as police and the public prosecuters office. We procured in 2020 additional Flexnet systems for our Armored Recce units. Subsequently, other organizations within our armed forces, including special forces and Home Guard tested Flexnet for their own operational requirements. These evaluations were highly successful and led to further demands and ultimately this frame-contract. We consider Flexnet a key asset in our inventory for gathering information on our adverseries and for enhancing force protection. A defining characteristic of recconnaissance operations is the need to execute missions with limited personnel and resources, mainly in high risk areas. Therefore, we often operate under covert circumstances. Flexnet significantly contributes to mitigating these constraints and is therefore regarded as a crucial force multiplier.
Jan Zeggelaar, Major (Ret), Sales Manager Benelux, and Ruud de Pruyssenaere de la Woestijne MCS, Brigadier General (Ret.) Strategic Advisor to Bertin Exensor, share their perspective on this important achievement:
“Jan and I share the same Cold War background: we both served as young lieutenants in Seedorf, Germany; Jan in an infantry battalion, and I in armored reconnaissance. Back then, we could only wish for a system like Flexnet UUGS in our units. Now, working in the defense industry, we feel a deep responsibility to ensure Dutch soldiers have the best equipment available that not only enables mission success but also saves lives. Flexnet UUGS delivers on both. We have high expectations of further Flexnet developments, such as the sensor to effector/shooter developments and adding new ‘state of the art’ sensors which will enhance our armed forces capabilities in succesfully accomplishing their missions. A solid and trustworthy partnership between the Netherlands Ministry of Defence and industry is essential, as Marcus emphasizes below.”
Marcus Rosenqvist, Deputy CEO at Bertin Exensor, says:
“Our collaboration with the Dutch Armed Forces began in 2009, when we delivered multiple Flexnet systems in response to an Urgent Operational Requirement for deployment in Afghanistan. Bertin Exensor has remained a committed partner, continuously evolving and improving Flexnet based on operational feedback. This first call-off order is another important milestone for Bertin Exensor. We are deeply grateful for the continued trust that COMMIT and the Dutch Armed Forces have placed in Bertin Exensor.”
PRESS CONTACTS
BERTIN EXENSOR
Marcus Rosenqvist
Vice President Sales & Marketing