News item | 19-12-2025 | 16:36
The National Space Program for Defense has been established. That happened today in the Council of Ministers. Defense will thus have more room for the necessary growth and for strengthening the armed forces.
The organization is being expanded because the armed forces must be able to defend their own and allied territory.
More space is a must for modern and new equipment, extra terrain, weapons and extra people. This is also necessary for education and training.
National Space Program for Defense
In 2023, Defense started the National Space Program for Defense (NPRD). This means that physical and environmental space within the Netherlands has been sought for 57 needs. A careful and transparent process has been completed recently to meet these needs. For example, independent studies have been conducted into the effects on the environment (PlanMER). Discussions were also held with various parties and meetings were held for residents. They could submit views. According to State Secretary Gijs Tuinman, we have managed to identify most locations in a relatively short time. “This despite the scarcity of space in the Netherlands. This was only possible thanks to the cooperation and urgency that we felt together with other governments.”
Additional research has been conducted recently for 9 needs. These have now been adopted by the cabinet as a draft preferred alternative. They will be made available for inspection in the first quarter of 2026. There are also information meetings and those involved can discuss with Defense.
Defense is increasingly becoming an integral part of society
The Netherlands is a relatively densely populated country. This means that soldiers practice more often in the built environment. This increases the training of the armed forces and the resilience of our society. But it also leads to effects that residents will notice in their immediate living environment. That is why we will work closely with the municipalities, the province and other parties in the next phases.
What next?
The location for meeting a need has now been determined. But that doesn’t mean Defense is there yet. Defense will now start preparing for the realization of all the different needs (projects). Defense aims to achieve this between now and 2040.