2 months Ago
During the defence trade fair, DSEI, in London, Defence State Secretary Gijs Tuinman (BBB) said the Netherlands is bringing these investments to fruition now with rising defence budgets around the world. The Dutch were represented at the event by 36 companies that demonstrated the position of the Netherlands in the world for driving technology, innovation, and production. "The Netherlands is focusing on drones and unmanned systems instead of tanks and heavy weapons. Where we have the difficulty", said Tuinman.
Expanding global market for military drones
The global market for drones is increasing rapidly, with a total spend of €14 billion worldwide in 2023, rising to €36 billion by 2030. The Dutch government hopes to further develop the role of the defence industry in this area, working on financing, building permits, and fostering collaboration between companies, research institutes, and military end users.
Lobster Robotics is an example of this all. Lobster Robotics is their parent company, which developed Scout 3 - the underwater drone. The company started its work in December and had a prototype tested in June. The device is presently being trialled by the Dutch military and is expected to be launched soon.
Drones are just one area where the government will support both start-ups and mature companies like Thales, which develops systems to operate advanced radar and sonar. Tuinman also described the Netherlands as a 'radar country' and had announced that equipment from Hengelo is already in operation with Norway and is being encouraged as a de facto standard in Europe.
The caretaker government still sees both their investments and the benefits that accrue from such investments as fundamental to the national security dimension of the nation and to being competitive in a world that is rapidly changing around them.
