The Netherlands has signed an agreement to purchase 100 drone-tracking radars from local defence technology firm Robin Radar as part of a national initiative to enhance protection of military installations and major airports. Deliveries will begin shortly and continue on a rolling basis through 2026.
The defence ministry indicated the systems will be deployed at airbases, strategic locations, and among operational units to improve early detection and response capability. Supporting vehicles for the equipment are scheduled to arrive early next year.
Designed to differentiate unmanned aircraft from birds and other airborne clutter—an issue complicating airport security across Europe—Robin Radar’s Max, Iris, and Elvira systems provide panoramic scanning with near-real-time refresh rates and three-dimensional altitude mapping.
The company revealed that combat use in Ukraine informed recent upgrades, with operator feedback prompting a software enhancement that more than doubled the detection range of the Iris radar. Amsterdam has not disclosed which variant will be adopted.
The procurement follows multiple drone incursions near Eindhoven Airport and Volkel Air Base, which caused brief flight suspensions and emergency security responses. The origin of the drones remains unknown, and similar incidents across Europe have heightened concern over aerial threats around protected areas.
