A look at the Defence news 18–24 November
Ukraine has received new air defence systems from the Netherlands to help the country defend itself against Russian air strikes. The supply has a value of €88 million, funded by the Netherlands.
The Netherlands is also taking further steps in the development of drones for Ukraine. These are attack drones, partly in response to North Korean involvement.
RNLM criminal investigators investigate war crimes in Ukraine
Two Royal Netherlands Marechaussee digital investigators are investigating possible war crimes in Ukraine. This is being done for the fifth time since May 2022 and once again following a request by Ukraine. The forensic experts started on 19 November. They carry out their work under the banner of the International Criminal Court.
Europe wants to strengthen joint military capabilities both at sea and in the air
European countries want to strengthen their military cooperation. This should include maritime cooperation, as well as cooperation in air defence and in the detection of moving targets. To this end, Netherlands Minister of Defence Ruben Brekelmans signed three declarations of intent after the EU Informal Meeting of Defence Ministers in Brussels.
Military musical cooperation with Suriname
The Netherlands armed forces donated a number of musical instruments to the Military Band of Suriname. This is a direct result of the renewed military cooperation between the two countries.
Final F-16s promised for training fighter pilots supplied to Romania
Of the 18 F-16s promised by the Netherlands, the last 2 were supplied to the European F-16 training centre in Romania last week. Initially, only Romanian pilots were given F-16 training, but now Ukrainian pilots are also being trained.
Netherlands to extend Force Protection contribution in Iraq by six months
The Dutch Force Protection contribution to the NATO Mission in Iraq (NMI) will be extended by another six months. At the request of NATO, the company made up of 145 soldiers will remain in Iraq until June 2025. The Netherlands will therefore continue to contribute to the NMI. Netherlands Minister of Defence Ruben Brekelmans and Netherlands Minister of Foreign Affairs Caspar Veldkamp informed the House or Representatives accordingly last week.