Dutch Military Fires On Drones Over Nuclear-Linked Air Base

by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Europe Bureau Chief

AMSTERDAM (Worthy News) – The Netherlands’ military confirmed Saturday it opened fire on drones over Volkel Air Base in the southeast of the country, where the United States is widely believed to store nuclear weapons, though no wreckage was recovered.

Security personnel at the base spotted up to 10 drones between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. on Friday local time, prompting Royal Netherlands Air Force units to deploy ground-based weapons in an attempt to bring them down, the Ministry of Defense said.

“The drones left the area and were not recovered,” the ministry explained, adding that both the Dutch military and civilian police are investigating the incident.

Officials said it remains unclear why up to 10 drones appeared above and around the base and declined to provide additional details, citing security concerns.

ROLE OF VOLKEL AIR BASE

Volkel Air Base, operated by the Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF), is home to Dutch F-35 fighter jets and plays a key role in training, air policing, and missions conducted under the NATO military alliance.

Dutch State Secretary for Defense Gijs Tuinman said “it is unacceptable” that drones fly around such a strategic site. He earlier said the Netherlands has layered air-defense systems capable of countering drones, but that “we need more of them.”

Outgoing Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans emphasized on social media that drones “are not permitted over military locations. We act where necessary.”

The heavily secured site also contains an underground munitions storage area where, according to multiple public sources, U.S. B61 nuclear bombs are stored under NATO nuclear-sharing arrangements — though the current Dutch government does not officially confirm this.

LUBBERS CONFIRMS NUKES STORAGE

However former Dutch Prime Minister Ruud Lubbers stated in 2013 that up to 22 such weapons are stored underground in hardened vaults at Volkel Air Base in the North Brabant province, about 120 kilometers (75 miles) southeast of Amsterdam, the capital. “I would never have thought those silly things would still be there in 2013,” Lubbers said at the time.

The Ministry of Defense stressed Saturday that the military reacted as drones are prohibited near all Dutch airports and especially around military installations for both flight-safety and national-security reasons.

The incident at Volkel comes amid a wider series of drone sightings. Earlier in November, multiple drones were spotted above Gilze-Rijen Air Base, which the RNLAF also operates. In recent weeks, drones have also disrupted airfields and military bases in Denmark, Romania, Germany, and Belgium, forcing temporary shutdowns of air operations.

In one notable incident on September 10, Dutch F-35s from Volkel Air Base were scrambled alongside other NATO aircraft after more than 20 Russian drones entered Polish airspace. Dutch and other allied jets shot down several of the drones, according to open-source military assessments.

RUSSIA ACCUSED OF INVOLVEMENT

Several European leaders have openly suggested Russia’s drone incursions and airspace violations of European NATO countries have increased since the drone incident in Poland in September.

In another episode the same month, three Russian military jets violated Estonia’s airspace for 12 minutes, officials said.

The tensions come at a time when Volkel is considered one of the most strategically important air bases in the Netherlands.

Beyond housing advanced fighter aircraft, the site’s alleged storage of U.S. nuclear weapons makes any unexplained drone activity particularly sensitive amid rising tensions over the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war and hybrid-threat operations in Europe.

Moscow has denied it is deliberately violating the airspace of NATO nations and accuses European powers of issuing “baseless accusations.”

(With additional reporting by Worthy News’ Johan Th. Bos in the Netherlands.)

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