The Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) attempted to shoot down unidentified drones flying over Volkel Air Base (UDE), one of the country’s two sites associated with NATO’s nuclear mission, according to information disclosed by the Dutch Ministry of Defense.
The incident occurred during the night of November 17 to 18, 2025, when security teams detected multiple unmanned aircraft flying inside the restricted area surrounding the installation.
Volkel Air Base hosts a fleet of F-35A fighters and is widely considered the storage location for US B61 nuclear gravity bombs assigned to NATO’s nuclear sharing mission, although the Dutch government maintains a longstanding policy of neither confirming nor denying nuclear deployments.
Live ammunition used, but drones escaped
According to the ministry, military police and base security activated the standard counter-UAS protocol after the drones were detected. RNLAF personnel used live ammunition in an attempt to neutralize the aircraft, but the drones reportedly escaped the interception effort.
Dutch authorities did not disclose the type, size, or number of drones involved, nor whether they operated independently or as part of a coordinated flight.
The National Coordinator for Security and Counterterrorism (NCTV) has opened an investigation, while military intelligence services are analyzing radar and sensor data to identify the origin of the incursions.
Drone sightings also halt traffic at Eindhoven Airport
The Volkel incident was followed by a separate disruption on November 22, 2025, when civilian and military air traffic at nearby Eindhoven Airport (EIN) was temporarily halted after drones were reported in the vicinity.
Eindhoven Airport serves both civilian and military operations. It hosts several Royal Netherlands Air Force transport and support aircraft, as well as multinational tanker units based in the Netherlands. The site also hosts key European air mobility coordination structures, giving it an essential role in NATO and EU air transport planning.
The Ministry of Defense said security teams implemented additional measures at the airport while the incursions were assessed, though no drones were intercepted there.
Part of a wider pattern across NATO
The events come amid heightened vigilance across NATO installations, particularly nuclear-related sites, where a series of drone incidents has raised concerns among European defense officials.
In Belgium, unidentified drones were seen for three consecutive nights between October 31 and November 2, 2025, over Kleine-Brogel Air Base, a site also believed to be hosting US B61 nuclear bombs.
“This is very concerning, worrying,” commented Belgian Defense Minister Théo Francken. “They come to spy, to see where the F-16s are, where the munitions are, and other highly strategic items.”
In Denmark, unidentified drones were observed at Aalborg (AAL) and Skrydstrup Airport (SKS), both dual-use airports sharing runways with the Royal Danish Air Force (RDAF), on the night of September 24 to 25, 2025.
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