Defence
Defense Invests in Lasers to Disable Drones
State Secretary Boswijk (CDA) announced that the Netherlands will invest in laser weapons to counter the growing threat of drones, replacing costly and slow Patriot missiles. The government signed a contract last year with an Australian company and TNO to develop these lasers domestically, aiming to reduce reliance on foreign air defense systems. While Boswijk declined to specify the investment amount, he noted that lasers offer faster responses, particularly against drone swarms. This initiative aligns with the Defense Note co-authored by Minister Yesilgöz (VVD) and Boswijk, which commits to significant investments in unmanned systems and their defenses. The goal is for more than half of operational effects to be achieved via unmanned systems within five years, making the military faster, smarter, and more agile against modern threats.
Ozetta summarises; the reporting is the newsroom's