Dutch Reaper drones to continue guarding NATO’s eastern flank

The Netherlands has prolonged its air policing and surveillance mission in Romania by an additional six months, maintaining the deployment of MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicles. The operation, originally scheduled to conclude at the end of March, will now continue through the end of September 2026, the Dutch Ministry of Defence confirmed.

Dutch Reaper drones have been contributing to NATO’s air defence posture along the Alliance’s eastern flank since early 2024. The aircraft are operated by personnel of the Royal Netherlands Air Force, who are also responsible for processing and analyzing the intelligence gathered during missions. In Romania, Dutch military staff are stationed on the ground to oversee the maintenance and security of the systems.

The extension follows consultations with Romanian authorities and NATO allies, underscoring the continued strategic importance of enhanced surveillance and deterrence in Eastern Europe.

Commenting on the decision, Dutch Defence Minister Ruben Brekelmans stated: “Russia’s terror in Ukraine has continued for almost four years. However, the Russian threat extends further, including to the rest of Europe. This means we must be and remain extremely vigilant. Protecting the eastern flank is of enormous importance to Europe’s security—and therefore to the Netherlands. Our advanced MQ-9 Reapers play a decisive role in this. They strengthen NATO’s intelligence position. This allows us to better anticipate developments.”

By Vafa Guliyeva