News item | 06-10-2025 | 17:23
Defense has again achieved a number of results in terms of industry and innovation. What they are, Minister Ruben Brekelmans and State Secretary Gijs Tuinman report today to the House of Representatives in an interim update.
An important result is the strategic partnership with VDL Group. The Province of Limburg and VDL make € 15 million and € 10 million available for this respectively. These investments are intended, among other things, for the development of a production location for Defense in Born.
Drones and ammunition
Defense is also looking for a substantial gear in the expansion of its capacities to detect, follow and eliminate unwanted drones. This year the organization is launching a so-called challenge for fast anti-drone solutions. This is done in collaboration with Defport. Within this public-private platform, the Ministries of Defense and of Economic Affairs work intensively together with industry, financial institutions and knowledge institutes.
Defense also takes steps to set up ammunition production in the Netherlands. At the end of this year, the organization will approach the market to make the production of safe droneemunition possible. In addition, the Ministry of Defense is committed to reusing raw materials of old ammunition and cooperation with the chemical sector.
Research and entrepreneurs
Together with education, culture and science, the Ministry of Defense invests € 35 million for research into, among other things, smart materials and quantum technology. The organization also makes it easier to collaborate with entrepreneurs. This is done by building a national network of regional innovation collaborations, coordinated by Orchestrating Defense Innovation (ODIN).
According to the ministers, all these actions contribute to less dependence on abroad and more strategic autonomy. Knowledge development is the foundation for the further development and innovation of the armed forces.
Strong, smart and together
The plans flow from the Defense Strategy Industry and Innovation. The Focus is on ‘strong’, with a view to a broad industrial basis. Furthermore, the strategy is about ‘smart’, aimed at the 5 areas in which the Netherlands wants to excel. These are: intelligent systems, space technology, sensory, smart materials and quantum. In addition, it is about ‘together’. Because only together with partners can Defense achieve these goals.