The measure was outlined in the 2026 Defence White Paper released on Monday
The Dutch Ministry of Defence on Monday put unmanned systems at the forefront of its new strategy, reflecting lessons from the Ukraine and Middle East conflicts.
“The Ministry of Defence will use unmanned systems wherever possible, with the ambition that within five years more than half of all operational effects will be achieved using unmanned systems,” the ministry said in its newly released 2026 Defence White Paper.
The document, titled ‘Together Forward!’, outlines the Dutch armed forces’ threat assessment and priorities.
The armed forces are to operate a mix of high-quality, affordable, replaceable and unmanned capabilities, according to the more than 100–page-long strategy.
