Final evaluation Netherlands participation in ISAF 2006 - 2010

5.1.2 Budget additions to regular Defence budgetThe HGIS facility ‘Conduct of crisis-management operations’ was theinstrument for funding the deployment of the Netherlands armed forces aspart of ISAF. In addition, the deployment also affected spending from theregular Defence budget. On several occasions, extra funds were added tothe regular Defence budget. Because these expenses are stronglycorrelated to the deployment in Afghanistan, these budget additions are, forthe purposes of this evaluation, considered as forming part of the total costof the deployment. Since the conclusion of the mission, the greater part ofthe acquired materiel has become part of the armed forces’ currentequipment.Overview of budget additions to the regular Defence budget as part of the participation inISAF.DefencebudgetadditionHelicopterlosses2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Total30,000 50,000 25,000 105,000Van Geel funds 50,000 50,000 100,000Bos funds 50,00Acquisition ofBushmastersRestoringOperationalReadiness050,000100,00025,000 25,00030,000 30,000 60,000Total 55,000 50,000 105,000 80,000 50,00Amounts x 1,000050,000390,000Helicopter lossesIn 2006, 2007 and 2008, the Balkenende II government added a total ofEUR 105 million to the regular Defence budget to compensate for the lossof helicopters in the preceding years. This was done pursuant to the motionbrought by the Members of Parliament Voordewind, Knops and Eijsink. 32During operations in Afghanistan prior to 2006, one Apache helicopter(2004) and two Chinook helicopters (2005) had been lost. The capacities inquestion could not be supplemented from the organisation’s own assets,nor could they be obtained from the market in the short term. It was,however, imperative for the armed forces to have these assets at theirdisposal as soon as possible. Two Chinooks were purchased in areplacement project (“4+2 Chinook expansion and reinforcement project”)to bring the air fleet back to strength. The project is currently beingimplemented and the new helicopters will be added to the existing air fleetfrom the end of 2011. Beside this specific addition to cover the loss of thehelicopters, the Voordewind, Knops and Eijsink motion also led to thedecision to complement the Defence budget with a structural sum of EUR25 million to cover future operational losses.Mission-specific capital investmentsFollowing from its participation in ISAF, the Defence organisation made anumber of additional investments in response to operational requirementsthat ensued from a changed concept of operations and the extensive wearand tear and loss of materiel. These investments concerned, inter alia,equipment to improve the protection of deployed units, such as robots for32 Motion by Voordewind, Knops and Eijsink, Parliamentary Document 27925, no. 207.Page 86 of 133