Dutch military bought a new system to defuse small drones for 50 million euros

The Ministry of Defense has purchased a new system to protect against small drones up to 20 kilograms. It signed the contract with manufacturer Elbit Systems on Wednesday. The Ministry did not say how much money was involved.

“The use and threat of drones are increasing worldwide,” the Ministry said, calling it essential to expand its capacity to counter these unmanned aerial systems (UAS). The Dutch military already has defense systems to protect against larger UAS, like the Patriot and Stinger systems. But it has been looking for the right tool to protect against smaller drones for some time.

“It has now been found at the Israeli Elbit Systems,” Defense said. The system consists of specialized sensors to detect and identify UAS. “It also has resources to neutralize or render a drone harmless in various ‘soft-kill’ ways. Think of jamming.”

The systems will be deployed at all Dutch airbases and the naval port in Den Helder. The army’s counter-drone unit will also get the system.

“The counter-UAS systems help to defend the armed forces units and main weapon systems against enemy action. They can also be used to protect vital non-military infrastructure and processes in the Netherlands,” the Ministry said.