A New Defense Production Hub in Europe
In the Dutch city of Borne (province of Limburg), the Netherlands has officially launched large-scale production of unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs), military drones, and energy systems.
The new production cluster, based at the VDL industrial site, is designed to strengthen both the Netherlands’ own armed forces and Ukraine’s defense capabilities.
The initiative marks one of the fastest defense-industrial launches in Dutch history, with the first assembly lines operational within months — a process that traditionally takes years.
Strategic Industrial Partnership
Production is being carried out in cooperation with three leading European defense-tech companies:
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Milrem Robotics – producer of advanced unmanned ground systems (UGVs);
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Tulip Tech – developer of military-grade battery systems and mobile power storage;
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DeltaQuad – manufacturer of long-range reconnaissance and tactical drones.
Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans signed the framework agreements with the partner companies, highlighting the project as a strategic acceleration of Europe’s defense capabilities amid Russia’s ongoing aggression against Ukraine.
“To continue supporting Ukraine and deterring Russia, we must rapidly increase defense production,” said Brekelmans.
“This involves innovation and industrialization — speed and scale. With VDL and other high-tech partners, we can achieve this.”
Rapid Deployment and Industrial Scale
The Dutch Ministry of Defense has leased over 120,000 sq m of production space at the VDL site, utilizing existing infrastructure to enable an immediate production start.
Key highlights:
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The first lines are already operational, producing ground vehicles, drones, and battery modules.
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Additional production units will open in the coming months to expand capacity.
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The partnership between the Ministry of Defense and VDL is structured for a minimum of 10 years, ensuring continuity and scalability.
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Former VDL employees have rejoined the company to support the new defense-industrial program.
Strategic Goals and European Autonomy
For the Netherlands, this initiative represents a strategic shift toward defense self-reliance and reduced dependence on foreign suppliers.
The government aims to build a resilient, high-tech industrial base capable of responding quickly to regional security challenges and allied defense needs.
The products manufactured in Borne — from unmanned ground platforms to aerial reconnaissance drones and modular power systems — will be supplied both to the Dutch armed forces and to Ukraine as part of ongoing military-technical assistance.
Outlook: Strengthening the European Defense Network
The Borne facility positions the Netherlands as a key player in Europe’s defense-industrial transformation, complementing the EU’s initiatives to create a common defense market and joint production capacities.
The cooperation with Ukraine ensures that new technologies developed in the Netherlands will also be battle-tested and adapted to real-world conditions, accelerating innovation cycles across Europe’s defense ecosystem.
