Counter-UAS and drone operations: Royal Netherlands Army sets up Task Force Drones

With a Task Force Drones, the Royal Netherlands Army aims to bring fighting with and against drones into operational use more quickly – counter-UAS and the use of its own drones are equally part of the mission. The new unit will itself be equipped with various types of drones. It is led by Brigadier General Joland Dubbeldam.

Before the end of the year, the special unit is to present an integrated army concept. On that basis, unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and counter-drone systems (counter-UAS) will then be deployed within the unit.

“As an army, we have to organise this well and quickly. The war in Ukraine is in the news almost every day. We see that drones and countermeasures have become an integral part of the modern battlefield,” says the commander. He adds: “That is why we have to go further and strengthen our combat power with drones.”

Counter-UAS as a question of concept

For the brigadier general, the conceptual level matters no less than introducing new equipment. He poses three questions: “How can we as an army fight as effectively as possible with the counter-UAS and UAS assets in our toolbox? How do we prepare for this fight in army-organised exercises? And how do we work with industry to ensure that we continue to develop our systems?” In view of the war in Ukraine, where unmanned systems are often encountered first, he considers these questions important.

For this reason, according to its latest press release, Task Force Drones is closely following developments in Ukraine. It also gathers and pools the knowledge that already exists within the army units. This knowledge is invaluable for the task force to make rapid progress. “Task Force Drones is not here to reinvent the wheel,” Dubbeldam stresses. “Our job is to quickly develop an integrated drone concept that allows us to fight smarter. Ultimately, it is about implementing drone capability within our units.”