Dutch Air Force Fails to Intercept Drones Over Volkel Air Base

The Royal Netherlands Air Force unsuccessfully attempted to intercept unidentified drones over Volkel Air Base, a strategic NATO installation, during the night of November 17-18, 2025. Despite using live ammunition under standard counter-UAS protocols, multiple unmanned aircraft escaped after penetrating restricted airspace. Volkel hosts F-35A fighters and is widely considered a storage site for US nuclear weapons under NATO’s nuclear sharing arrangement. Days later, drone activity also forced temporary suspension of operations at nearby Eindhoven Airport. The incidents are part of a troubling pattern across European NATO installations, with similar intrusions recently reported at nuclear-capable bases in Belgium and Denmark. Dutch military intelligence and the National Coordinator for Security and Counterterrorism have launched investigations to determine the drones’ origin and intent, raising urgent questions about airspace security at critical military facilities.