A look at the Defence news 3 – 10 December
Dutch F-16s supported ground troops in the fight against ISIS, taking part in nine missions and using force in seven of these. The aircraft were deployed over the Syrian province of Deir al Zour. This was reported in the weekly review of Defence operations (28 November – 4 December).
Archive photo January 2018: A Dutch F-16 pilot checks his aircraft prior to a flight over Iraq.
Anti-ISIS coalition holds talks on the global threat from ISIS
The international coalition against ISIS aims to eliminate this terrorist group completely. The efforts required to achieve this end were the subject of discussions held in the Canadian city of Ottawa between the Netherlands Minister of Defence, Ank Bijleveld-Schouten, and 12 of her counterparts.
New in the Defence organisation: Netherlands Special Operations Command
Special Operations Forces are becoming increasingly important, yet at a national level this capability has been fragmented until now. The newly established Netherlands Special Operations Command (NLD SOCOM) will address these issues.