Dutch Air Force Fails to Intercept Drones Over Volkel Air Base
The Royal Netherlands Air Force faced a significant security breach when it failed to intercept multiple unidentified drones over Volkel Air Base during the night of November 17-18, 2025, according to information released by the Dutch Ministry of Defense.
The incident occurred at one of the Netherlands’ most sensitive military installations. Volkel Air Base hosts the RNLAF’s F-35A fighter fleet and is widely believed to store US B61 nuclear gravity bombs as part of NATO’s nuclear sharing mission, though Dutch policy prohibits official confirmation of nuclear deployments.
Security teams detected the unmanned aircraft operating inside the restricted airspace surrounding the base and immediately activated standard counter-UAS protocols. Military police and RNLAF personnel responded with live ammunition in an attempt to neutralize the intruding drones, but all aircraft reportedly escaped interception.
Dutch authorities have released limited information about the incident, declining to specify the number, type, or size of the drones involved. Officials also have not disclosed whether the aircraft operated independently or demonstrated coordinated flight patterns that might suggest sophisticated operator control.
The National Coordinator for Security and Counterterrorism has opened a formal investigation, while military intelligence services analyze radar and sensor data collected during the incursion. Identifying the origin and intent of these flights remains a priority for Dutch security agencies.
The Volkel incident was not isolated. On November 22, 2025, nearby Eindhoven Airport experienced its own drone disruption, forcing temporary suspension of both civilian and military air traffic. Eindhoven serves dual purposes, hosting RNLAF transport and support aircraft, multinational tanker units, and critical European air mobility coordination structures that play essential roles in NATO and EU transport planning.
Security teams implemented additional protective measures during the Eindhoven incident, though no drones were successfully intercepted there either.
These Dutch incidents fit within a broader pattern of drone activity targeting NATO installations across Europe. Between October 31 and November 2, 2025, unidentified drones appeared for three consecutive nights over Kleine-Brogel Air Base in Belgium, another suspected nuclear weapons storage site.
Belgian Defense Minister Théo Francken expressed alarm at the intrusions: “This is very concerning, worrying. They come to spy, to see where the F-16s are, where the munitions are, and other highly strategic items.”
Denmark reported similar incidents on September 24-25, 2025, when unidentified drones were observed at Aalborg and Skrydstrup airports, both dual-use facilities sharing runways with the Royal Danish Air Force.
The repeated nature of these incidents, particularly targeting nuclear-capable installations, suggests either coordinated intelligence gathering operations or probing of NATO security responses. The failure to intercept any of the intruding aircraft despite active countermeasures highlights significant gaps in current counter-UAS capabilities at critical military sites.
As investigations continue, the incidents raise urgent questions about airspace security protocols, detection capabilities, and interception technologies deployed at Europe’s most sensitive military installations. NATO allies may need to reassess defensive measures as drone technology becomes increasingly accessible and sophisticated.
Source ID: SRCE-2025-1764102510224-917