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Netherlands to Deploy Laser Weapons Against Drone Threats
(MENAFN) The Netherlands will invest in laser weapons capable of disabling enemy drones, a Dutch public broadcaster reported Thursday.
State Secretary for Defense Gijs Tuinman said the escalating use of drones in Middle East conflicts, coupled with recent incidents closer to home, underscored the need for stronger defenses against the aerial threat.
According to Tuinman, laser systems can neutralize drones faster and more cheaply than missile-based defenses like the Patriot, an advantage that becomes especially pronounced when countering swarms of drones rather than isolated threats.
Australian Partnership, Dutch Prototype
The Netherlands signed a contract last year with an Australian company to develop laser systems domestically, working alongside Dutch research organization TNO. Tuinman said the Defense Ministry is pleased with a prototype already produced under the project, adding that the technology could reduce the country's reliance on foreign suppliers for air defense equipment. The ministry has not disclosed a spending figure for the laser program.
Broader Shift Toward Unmanned Systems
The investment aligns with the Netherlands' Defense White Paper, published this summer, which committed the armed forces to heavy investment in unmanned systems and counter-drone defenses. The paper set a target for more than half of the military's operational capabilities to be delivered through unmanned systems within five years.
State Secretary for Defense Gijs Tuinman said the escalating use of drones in Middle East conflicts, coupled with recent incidents closer to home, underscored the need for stronger defenses against the aerial threat.
According to Tuinman, laser systems can neutralize drones faster and more cheaply than missile-based defenses like the Patriot, an advantage that becomes especially pronounced when countering swarms of drones rather than isolated threats.
Australian Partnership, Dutch Prototype
The Netherlands signed a contract last year with an Australian company to develop laser systems domestically, working alongside Dutch research organization TNO. Tuinman said the Defense Ministry is pleased with a prototype already produced under the project, adding that the technology could reduce the country's reliance on foreign suppliers for air defense equipment. The ministry has not disclosed a spending figure for the laser program.
Broader Shift Toward Unmanned Systems
The investment aligns with the Netherlands' Defense White Paper, published this summer, which committed the armed forces to heavy investment in unmanned systems and counter-drone defenses. The paper set a target for more than half of the military's operational capabilities to be delivered through unmanned systems within five years.
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