Dutch invest in production of combat vehicles for Ukraine

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - The Dutch government will invest 400 million euros ($432 million) in the production of combat vehicles for Ukraine, it said on Friday.

The government said it would participate along with Denmark in a Swedish fund aimed at ramping up production of CV90 vehicles, many of which would be manufactured in the Netherlands.

The CV90, or Combat Vehicle 90, is an armoured tracked vehicle with anti-tank capabilities that can carry up to eight soldiers in its passenger compartment. It is made by BAE Systems.

The government also said it would invest 54 million euros in the production of drones for its own armed forces and 25 million euros in a fund to help starting companies in the defence industry grow.

($1 = 0.9253 euro)

(Reporting by Bart Meijer; editing by Jonathan Oatis)