The Netherlands Ministry of Defence has announced the acquisition of eight V-BAT vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) drones, which will be deployed by both the Royal Netherlands Navy and the Royal Netherlands Marine Corps. This move is part of a larger effort to modernize the country’s military capabilities, specifically aimed at strengthening maritime intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) operations.
According to Shield AI, the manufacturer of the V-BAT, the system was selected in part due to its proven performance in the Ukraine conflict, where it demonstrated resilience and effectiveness in contested environments. Dutch defense officials reportedly took these operational results into account during the selection process.
A key feature of the V-BAT drone is its ability to perform ISR and targeting missions without relying on the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), making it resistant to electronic warfare threats such as GPS jamming. Furthermore, the system was successfully trialed aboard the HNLMS Johan de Witt, a Dutch Navy vessel, during NATO’s REPMUS 2024 exercise, where it completed a month-long evaluation of its maritime ISR performance.
