The Dutch armed forces opened fire on several drones detected above Volkel Air Base in the country’s east, the Ministry of Defense confirmed on Saturday. No debris has been recovered and
the devices remain unidentified.
According to the ministry, security personnel observed the drones between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. on Friday, triggering an immediate response from ground-based air-defense units stationed at the base. The drones left the area shortly after shots were fired and have not been located.
The incident comes amid a growing number of reports of unexplained drone activity near sensitive military facilities in both the Netherlands and Belgium in recent weeks. Authorities have not yet determined who is behind the flights or what their purpose may be.
Both military investigators and civilian police have opened inquiries, though officials declined to release further details, citing operational security.
Volkel Air Base, home to Royal Netherlands Air Force units, is subject to strict airspace restrictions. Drone flights are prohibited around all Dutch airports for aviation safety reasons, and additional limits are in place around military installations. Photo by Defensie, Wikimedia commons.