The Dutch Digitized Soldier System (D2S2) program is under development by the Thales Group. The company was awarded this contract in October 2004. The company will deliver the prototype systems which will be the key components of the future Dutch digitized soldier system. These components are expected to provide the Netherlands’ infantry with a communications infrastructure to meet its future forces’ operational needs.
Thales will provide the soldier radios, central processing computers and control units and dedicated soldier and commander interactive displays which will be operated as an “individual network” integrated into the company chain of command. The system will be linked to the Netherlands Army’s command & control battle management system.
The development is a joint initiative of the Netherlands Ministry of Defense and Thales and will be performed in cooperation with TNO, the Netherlands’ Organization for Applied Scientific Research. Prototype systems will be tested in 2005, with production units planned to go into service in 2006. Thales is already contributing to major soldier modernization programs in the United Kingdom, in Germany and in Norway.
