Unidentified Drones Hover Over Dutch Military Base: Security Alert Raised

Sat Nov 22 2025 20:43:02 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

In a concerning development, drones have been sighted near the Volkel Air Base in the Netherlands, prompting military response and an ongoing investigation amidst rising security concerns across Europe.

The Dutch defense ministry has reported unidentified drones hovering over Volkel Air Base, leading to military personnel deploying weapons in an attempt to take them down. The drones evaded capture and have raised alarms about potential security risks at military installations in Europe.

Unidentified drones have been observed hovering over a military base used by NATO in the Netherlands, the Dutch defence ministry has said.

It said military personnel deployed weapons to try to take down the drones spotted near Volkel Air Base, north of Eindhoven, between 19:00 and 21:00 local time on Friday.

The defence ministry stated that the devices departed and were never recovered.

The Netherlands is among several northern European countries plagued by drone sightings around military installations in recent months. Russia has denied accusations of involvement in past incidents.

Dutch police are investigating the incident. Officials indicated that for security reasons, they would not provide further details regarding the drones or any actions taken.

Volkel Air Base, which is used by the Royal Netherlands Air Force, also hosts a US Air Force squadron as part of NATO. The latest incident follows a pattern of drone sightings at other Dutch air bases, as well as facilities in neighboring Belgium, Denmark, and Germany.

These sightings have disrupted air traffic and raised security concerns. Investigations have been hindered by a lack of evidence regarding the drones' origins, as they typically leave after a short time.

Many European officials attribute these sightings to hybrid warfare linked to Russia, as the affected nations are allied with Ukraine. However, the Kremlin has consistently denied involvement.

In response to the ongoing drone sightings, defence ministers from 10 EU countries have agreed to implement a drone wall, while several individual nations are seeking measures for anti-drone defenses.