Netherlands first in NATO to deploy drones across all combat units

The Dutch military will begin recruiting between 1,000 and 1,200 personnel starting in April to staff newly established drone and counter-drone units that will be integrated into all combat units, the country’s top military commander said.

According to Commandant Onno Eichelsheim, both the deployment of drones and defenses against them now play a significantly larger role in modern warfare. “It is a different interaction. We must continuously modernize and adapt systems,” he said. The initiative will embed drone capabilities across all army combat units, marking a structural shift. Eichelsheim said the Netherlands is the first NATO country to implement such a comprehensive approach to integrating drone and counter-drone units.

Eichelsheim announced the expansion during the television program WNL Op Zondag. He stated that the move reflects lessons learned from recent conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, where drone warfare has become increasingly decisive.

He stressed that close cooperation with the drone industry is essential to the plan’s success, citing the need for ongoing technological updates and adaptation.

The expansion comes as NATO allies, including the Netherlands, pledged at a summit in The Hague last year to significantly increase defense spending. The long-term target is 5 percent of gross domestic product, which would amount to nearly 50 billion euros for the Netherlands.