Overview
- About 300 personnel from Vredepeel will deploy around December 1 for a six-month Air & Missile Defense Taskforce rotation in southeast Poland, replacing German units.
- The contingent is bringing Patriot and NASAMS systems with associated radars and control vehicles plus counter‑drone capabilities to protect a major logistics hub supporting Ukraine.
- Dutch commanders say employment of force will be proportional under Polish lead, with counter‑drone tools preferred rather than expending Patriot interceptors on small drones.
- Recent incidents include drone incursions that temporarily shut Polish airports and a rail-line explosion treated as suspected sabotage, with responsibility not proven.
- Poland has announced about 10,000 troops to secure infrastructure, while NATO pursues lower‑cost anti‑drone solutions after Dutch F‑35s downed drones with expensive missiles in September.