Royal Netherlands Navy
Dutch naval force; first NATO navy to declare V-BAT drone operational at SEA.
The Royal Netherlands Navy put 12 V-BAT surveillance drones into service on 30 March 2026 after Arctic trials, becoming the first NATO navy to certify the system at SEA.
Last refreshed: 1 October 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
Why did the Dutch Navy beat all NATO allies to V-BAT certification at sea?
Timeline for Royal Netherlands Navy
Mentioned in: Belgium buys €46.9m of V-BATs, no tender
Drones: Industry & DefenceMentioned in: Malloy revealed as BAE subsidiary as Tekever scale emerges
Drones: Industry & DefenceDutch Navy Declares V-BAT Fully Operational
Drones: Industry & DefenceBackground
The Royal Netherlands Navy is the Netherlands’ naval force. Its maritime role gives the country a standing capability to operate at SEA with allied forces, including surveillance and amphibious missions.
On 30 March 2026, the service declared Shield AI’s V-BAT drone operational after Arctic trials aboard HNLMS Johan de Witt. The Navy acquired 12 aircraft and plans to equip eight ships. Belgium’s September 2026 purchase of the same system showed that the Dutch adoption had become a relevant allied reference point.
The force matters because naval drone operations can give ships their own surveillance capacity without relying on dedicated aircraft. Its V-BAT certification makes the Navy an early operational user within NATO.
What is the Royal Netherlands Navy?
Which NATO navy first declared V-BAT operational?
How many V-BAT drones did the Netherlands Navy acquire?
What ships does the Royal Netherlands Navy operate?
