Dutch Defense Orders 100 IRIS Anti-Drone Surveillance Radars

In the Netherlands, the Ministry of Defense in Amsterdam has initiated the purchase of 100 IRIS radars that provide an early warning for the approach of drones.

Delivery of the first radars, which are capable of distinguishing drones from birds and other moving objects, has already begun.

The Amsterdam Ministry of Defense has signed the related agreement with Dutch company Robin Radar Systems.

These systems allow Dutch units to have more time to respond.

These X-band radars, weighing less than 30 kg, are designed to be at the heart of complete CUAS systems, activating sensors to manage and verify threats.

The aforementioned IRIS systems will also be deployed for the air defense of air bases and critical infrastructures. They’re capable of distinguishing rotor blades and rotating parts, unaffected by birds, and able to detect fixed-wing drones up to speeds of 100 km/h (60 mph) and while hovering.

IRIS combines micro-Doppler classification, deep neural network (DNN) technology, and on-the-move detection (OTM) for a 3D, 360-degree coverage in a single small but powerful package.

By combining 360-degree visuals, a 60-degree elevation, and an instrument range of 5 km (3.1 miles), IRIS offers a coverage area of 78 km².

All one hundred ordered radars will be delivered by Robin Radar to the Dutch Ministry of Defense by the end of 2026 to answer the urgency, given the recent incident of unauthorized flyovers of Volkel and Eindhoven air bases by unidentified drones.

Source: Dutch Ministry of Defense

Photo credit: @Robin Radar Systems