1/4 Photo: Tom Berkers.
A new air defense unit was welcomed on Thursday at the Lieutenant General Best Barracks in Vredepeel. This will strengthen the Dutch defense in the air. The new unit can detect and disable helicopters, planes and drones. “A big step for defense. A new unit is really special, I’ve only seen units disappear so far.”
The new air defense unit was set up to defend us against threats from aircraft, helicopters and drones, for example.
A ceremony was held on Thursday at the Vredepeel site to welcome the new unit. “It is a special day”, says Colonel Jos Kuijpers. “I have been with this firm for 35 years, and this is the first time in my career that a new unit has been established.”
But the occasion is not so festive, says the colonel. Airborne threats change very quickly, he explains. “If you look at what is happening in Ukraine now: every month there are new applications with aircraft, missiles and drones, for example. We have to keep up and have an answer ready.”
The new unit consists of two platoons. For example, there is the Stinger platoon, which can detect and disable helicopters and aircraft at longer distances. The Counter Drone platoon is dedicated to detecting and eliminating drone attacks.
“If you grab a propeller, a drone can no longer fly.”
Dylan is in the second platoon and can take down drones, among other things. “Basically we hunt drones. We can track them down with special equipment and try to disable them,” he says.
He explains how his platoon works: “If we have seen a drone, we first look at what is below it. That could be a camera, for example, but also something else. That is important for us to know.” After that, an attempt must be made to take a drone out of the air. With a so-called skywall nets are then shot at the drones. “A drone always needs all the propellers to fly, so if you take one, it can no longer fly.”
Incidentally, Dylan’s platoon is not only there for threats from abroad. The team is also deployed at events in the Netherlands, such as the King’s Day celebrations. “We work together with Security Regions and support them at events. Then we have detection equipment. If we see a drone, we warn another group.”