Netherlands to invest in laser weapons to counter drones

The Netherlands plans to invest in laser weapons designed to disable enemy drones as part of efforts to strengthen its air-defence capabilities, Dutch public broadcaster NOS reported on Thursday, September 24.

State Secretary for Defence Gijs Tuinman said the growing use of drones in conflicts in the Middle East, along with recent incidents near the Netherlands, highlighted the need for more effective means of countering unmanned aircraft.

According to Tuinman, laser systems can disable drones more quickly and at a lower cost than interceptor missiles such as Patriot systems, particularly when dealing with large numbers of drones.

Tuinman said the Defence Ministry was satisfied with a prototype already developed as part of the project. He added that the technology could reduce the Netherlands’ reliance on other countries for air-defence equipment.

The Defence Ministry has not disclosed how much it plans to spend on the development and deployment of laser systems.

By Tamilla Hasanova