The U.S. State Department has approved a potential $611 million sale of military unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and related equipment to the government of the Netherlands, according to a June 16 departmental press release .
“This proposed sale will support US foreign policy and national security goals by enhancing the security of a NATO ally that is the driving force behind political stability and economic progress in Europe. The proposed sale will enhance the ability of the Netherlands to withstand current and future threats,” the document explained.
In total, the Dutch authorities requested from the United States up to four MQ-9A Block 5 reconnaissance and strike UAVs, up to three ground mobile control systems, up to 30 global positioning and navigation devices and other related equipment, including radars, missile launchers, transponders, spare parts.
It is also indicated that the MQ-9A UAV will perform the tasks of reconnaissance, surveillance, target detection and reconnaissance, air attack tasks and countering maritime operations. The Netherlands already has MQ-9A drones in service and their introduction into the country’s armed forces does not cause any difficulties, the release states.
Another NATO security measure was launched in Estonia on June 3, this year’s largest naval exercise in the Baltic Sea, Baltops 23, with the participation of more than 30 NATO warships, alliance partners and about 3,700 marines. The 6th Fleet of the US Navy is responsible for organizing the exercises; preparations for the maneuvers took three years.
At the end of May, military expert Alexei Leonkov, in an interview with Izvestia, called Baltops 23 a game of nerves. He recalled that Western countries nominated Estonia for the OSCE chairmanship, while Russia and Belarus opposed it. And now, in his opinion, NATO thus demonstrates support for Tallinn.
