The Netherlands will purchase a batch of drones for Ukraine worth 42.6 million euros ($42.3 million), according to a statement from the Ministry of Defense press service.
This marks the first Dutch procurement under the drone coalition initiative, an international effort led by Latvia and the United Kingdom to supply Ukraine with military drones for its defense against Russian aggression.
Announced in early 2024, the coalition aims to provide Ukraine with thousands of first-person view (FPV) drones, which have proven effective in combat operations.
The Dutch company DeltaQuad will supply Ukraine with “advanced drones” for Intelligence, Surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) purposes.
ISR drones, like scouts, can fly for long periods and great distances. The Dutch Ministry of Defense reports that they are used to obtain real-time information from the battlefield, gather intelligence, and conduct surveillance.
The Dutch government allocated 400 million euros ($435 mn) to implement the drone action plan, more than half of which goes to the Dutch industry. The purchase from DeltaQuad is part of these funds.
The details about the drone type, quantity, and delivery schedules are not disclosed for security reasons.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on 11 September that Ukraine has the capability to increase its drone production, but this requires additional funding.
The drone coalition comprises 16 countries: the UK, Latvia, Australia, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Estonia, Italy, New Zealand, Canada, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Ukraine, Germany, and Sweden.
Coalition members are working on supplying various types of drones, such as reconnaissance and strike drones, AI-controlled unmanned aerial vehicles, and counter-drone technologies.
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