€27 billion in Dutch defense spending this year will fund a major push into drones and other uncrewed systems, with the military aiming for more than half of its operational effects to come from such technology within five years.
A defense white paper released Monday says the Netherlands will buy a “smart mix” of high-end, affordable, replaceable and uncrewed capabilities rather than rely only on expensive traditional platforms.
€3.4 billion was added versus 2025, reflecting a faster rearmament effort as The Hague reshapes force planning around scalable, attritable systems.
Russia was identified by the Defense Ministry as the greatest and most direct threat to peace and stability in Europe, providing the strategic rationale for the buildup.