Overview
- Two Royal Netherlands Air Force F-35s launched from Volkel Air Base on December 7 under a Quick Reaction Alert after an unidentified object entered Dutch and NATO airspace.
- The Ministry of Defence reported the object was a drone that posed no direct threat and subsequently left the airspace.
- Air traffic was not disrupted, the fighter jets returned to base, and the drone’s origin remains unknown after failing to identify itself by radio or transponder.
- The deployment followed standard Benelux air policing duties, which the Netherlands currently shares on a rotating basis with Belgium.
- Authorities note a recent pattern of drone activity in the region, including a November 22 incident over Eindhoven Airport that briefly halted flights, prompting continued vigilance and investigation.