Dutch MoD @Defensie has purchased 100s of armored vehicles in large part built by Chinese SOE CIMC.
This is a bonkers story ๐งต
rtlnieuws.nl
This is a bonkers story ๐งต
rtlnieuws.nl
CIMC acquired Netherlands-based firm Visser B.V. in 2013 and installed a Chinese national as manager.
At the time of the acquisition, Visser was a wholly-owned subsidiary of a German firm, Ziegler GmbH.
CIMC acquired Ziegler for 55 million Euro. 2/
At the time of the acquisition, Visser was a wholly-owned subsidiary of a German firm, Ziegler GmbH.
CIMC acquired Ziegler for 55 million Euro. 2/
Visser manufactures the interior of vehicles such as the Bushmaster 2.0, which has an EW mission. 3/
Another vehicle manufactured in part by Visser is the Boxer Commandopost, that carries a range of radio and satellite communications equipment. 4/
As @DannyPronk2 notes, this gives the PLA firsthand insight into how these vehicles are constructed, what exploitable weaknesses are, and how onboard equipment functions.
The company has the detailed blueprints for these vehicles provided by @Defensie 5/
The company has the detailed blueprints for these vehicles provided by @Defensie 5/
Normally the Industrial Security Bureau of the Dutch Military Intelligence and Security Service conducts regular reviews of MoD's suppliers. Per @Defensie, these took place from 2003-2012. 7/
No risk assessments were conducted since 2013, however, because MoD determined that Visser "did not carry out sensitive assignments for Defense that posed a security risk." 8/
This is a bad look for the Dutch military and NATO member. As former Commander of the Royal Netherlands Army @GeneraalDeKruif notes, "The armed forces are rattling in their bones." 9/
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