Overview
- Defence says guards first spotted five drones and later ten over Vliegbasis Volkel on Friday evening, with darkness limiting visibility.
- Air Force personnel engaged the devices from the ground and the Marechaussee confirmed shots were fired, but Defence withheld specific tactics for security reasons.
- The drones departed and were not recovered, and searches for their operators have so far yielded no results.
- The Koninklijke Marechaussee and police were notified and an investigation is under way, with local authorities briefed by the military.
- Volkel hosts Dutch F-35s and, according to multiple reports not officially confirmed, a secured U.S. nuclear weapons bunker, as officials cite broader European drone incursions and ongoing counter‑drone acquisitions such as Skyranger and Smart Shooter.