Around 2,000 experts and government representatives from over 90 countries attended the event.

In his opening address, South Korean Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun highlighted how AI use in military operations could strengthen capabilities but also bring potential harm if misused. 

Ukraine’s use of AI-enabled drones in the ongoing conflict with Russia was cited as an example.

The Blueprint

The REAIM Blueprint for Action outlined 20 clauses divided into three sections: the impact of AI on international peace and security; implementing responsible AI in the military domain; and envisaging future governance of AI in the military.

It acknowledged that “AI capabilities in the military domain must be applied in accordance with applicable national and international law.”

Further, the document highlighted that “appropriate human involvement needs to be maintained in the development, deployment and use of AI in the military domain, including appropriate measures that relate to human judgment and control over the use of force.”

Among the topics discussed were risk assessments, confidence-building measures, and preventing AI from being used in the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, especially by terrorist groups.

China Opts Out, Russia Not Invited

South Korea, the US, Japan, France, Germany, the UK, Switzerland, Sweden, Pakistan, and Ukraine were among the 61 countries that endorsed the document.

China was one of 30 to opt out. 

Meanwhile, Russia was not invited for the second year in a row due to international condemnation of its Ukraine invasion.

“We also need to be realistic that we will never have the whole world on board,” Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans said, adding that this dilemma must be part of further discussions.

This Seoul summit, co-hosted by the Netherlands, Singapore, Kenya, and the UK, follows the inaugural session at The Hague last year that initiated guidelines about AI use on the battlefield. 

This year’s summit’s declaration is said to be more action-oriented. “Last year … was more about creating shared understanding, now we are getting more towards action,” Brekelmans said.

South Korea aims to continue discussions based on the summit document in the upcoming UN General Assembly later this month.

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This includes support materials and spare parts essential for the aircraft’s continued operation, Dutch Minister of Defense Ruben Brekelmans said Friday at a Ukraine Defence Contact Group meeting in Germany.

“Besides large quantities of spare parts, these include generators, small vehicles, essential maintenance materials, specialized tools, and stairs. With the air-to-air missiles, Ukraine can take down enemy aircraft,” he added.

For operational safety, the announcement didn’t specify the delivery’s quantity and type.

The delivery timeline was also not disclosed. However, the Dutch Ministry of Defense stated that it would take place as soon as possible. 

Ukraine Receives First Batch of F-16s  

Amsterdam earlier this year announced the allocation of over 150 million euros ($163 million) for the purchase of air-to-ground munitions for the donated aircraft.

The Netherlands has pledged 24 F-16s to Ukraine, delivering a few of them last month along with Denmark, which has pledged 37.

The exact number of the Lockheed Martin aircraft in the first batch was not disclosed but was likely around 10.

Meanwhile, Ukraine lost its first F-16 late last month while countering a Russian air strike, killing the pilot onboard.

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The country will reportedly acquire nearly 50 Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks from Germany to satisfy NATO’s demand for robust ground combat firepower.

It is expected to spend up to 315 million euros ($350 million) annually to sustain the new battalion and cover the operational expenses of about 350 military personnel.

Amsterdam had nearly 1,000 fully operational tanks at the height of the Cold War. However, budget cuts forced the military to phase them out gradually by 2011.

Without a single tank left to support its ground operations, the country leased 18 Leopard 2 tanks from Berlin in 2015, but these were integrated into a German unit and stationed abroad.

Addressing Long-Standing Issue

The decision to get rid of all its tanks has been a persistent issue for the Royal Dutch Army.

The move was controversial, but then-Prime Minister Mark Rutte said the country had to make “difficult choices” following the 2008 recession.

But as threats in the region rapidly increased due to the ongoing war in Ukraine, the Dutch government saw the necessity for adequate ground firepower.

“Without the tank, maneuvers such as a breach or a turning movement are no longer possible,” a tank company commander said in 2020.

More members of the House of Representatives now support the establishment of a new tank battalion, with an initial plan previously getting discontinued due to budget constraints.

Clear Consensus

Local media outlets reported that there is a broad consensus in the Dutch government regarding the type of tank to be procured.

The Dutch Army has over four decades of experience with the Leopard 2 tank and collaborates closely with its German counterpart in operating them.

Additionally, Amsterdam was invited to a Berlin-led procurement initiative that aimed to consolidate demand and reduce the costs of the Leopard 2A8.

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Revealed by Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans, the package includes technical maintenance, associated equipment, and training services.

Ukraine’s upcoming fleet was used by the Netherlands Marine Corps for personnel and medical transport across austere environments.

Amsterdam noted that the platforms can also be deployed as command vehicles or mobile fire support.

“With a front and rear carriage and coupled steering mechanism, the Viking effortlessly lands on the beach from a landing craft,” the Dutch Ministry of Defence wrote in a press release.

“The vehicle is armored, which provides additional protection against enemy fire. The Viking can operate in the most diverse weather conditions.”

Following the donation to Ukraine, the Dutch Marine Corps’ Viking systems will be replaced by the incoming 124 tracked vehicles planned in 2020 as well as 179 small all-terrain patrol vehicles announced in 2021.

Distribution of the approximately 250-million-euro ($276.4-million) tracked fleet is scheduled from 2024 to 2027, while the patrol systems are expected to arrive next year until 2028.

Oekraïne heeft onze hulp hard nodig in het gevecht tegen de Russische agressor.

Nederland levert nu 28 Viking rupsvoertuigen. Het Korps Mariniers heeft hiervoor de Oekraïense militairen getraind.

Onze steun aan Oekraïne blijft doorgaan om Rusland op afstand te houden. pic.twitter.com/58jz5pvWAF

— Ruben Brekelmans (@DefensieMin) August 31, 2024

All-Terrain System

The Viking or BvS10 vehicle was first introduced by Swedish defense contractor BAE Systems Hägglunds in the early 2000s for the British Royal Marines, with its maiden deployment being in Afghanistan in 2006.

It was offered in different variants, including the unarmored Beowulf, and has undergone multiple upgrades since its launch.

Alongside Sweden, the UK, and the Netherlands, the all-terrain system has served under the Austrian, French, German, and US armed forces.

The Viking

BAE’s Viking measures 8 meters (26.2 feet) long and weighs about 5 tons.

It incorporates a front and rear car that can accommodate up to 12 passengers in total, while its chassis is covered with NATO standard armor against small arms fire and artillery.

The vehicle is equipped with a Cummins six-cylinder diesel engine and an Allison six-speed automatic transmission for a top speed of 70 kilometers (43.4 miles) per hour and a range of 500 kilometers (310 miles).

It can carry 5.56 to 12.7-millimeter machine guns, a 40-millimeter automatic grenade launcher, mortars, and smoke grenades.

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The deal is part of Bogotá’s program to employ up to five new warships for its Strategic Surface Platforms naval modernization program.

The consortium signed the initial agreement in 2022 to build the future fleet’s lead vessel at COTECMAR’s facility in Colombia.

Once completed, the nation will be the third in Latin America to develop the complex ship type under license at its local shipyards following Mexico and Brazil.

Damen’s Sigma Design

The Sigma vessel design is a family of military ships consisting of corvette and frigate variants.

The frigate measures 105.1 meters (345 feet) long and incorporates a 14-meter (46-foot) beam.

It can carry more than 120 personnel, 6 to 10-ton class helicopters, and up to two rigid-hull inflatable boats.

It is equipped with 3D surveillance radar, hull-mounted sonar, internal and external communication systems, decoy launchers, torpedoes, and surface-to-surface and surface-to-air missile launchers.

The ship sails with twin electric and diesel engines as well as six Caterpillar generators for a top speed of 28 knots (52 kilometers/32 miles per hour), a range of 5,000 nautical miles (9,260 kilometers/5,754 miles), and an endurance of 20 days at sea.

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The agreement covers the K-Ster C drone, associated equipment, and training vehicles for the services.

The vehicles will be manufactured at the company’s Belgian center in Ostend launched in 2022 to fulfill the counties’ mine countermeasure initiatives.

“We are very happy to continue our support of the Belgian and Royal Netherlands Navies and NATO allies with our advanced mine disposal technology,” Exail Chief Commercial Officer Antony Penn stated.

“This new contract is a testament to our commitment to providing innovative and reliable solutions for MCM operations. With our purpose-built facilities in Oostende, we are already fully equipped to deliver these new systems.”

Exail’s K-Ster C

The K-Ster C is a lightweight drone that can deploy from frigates and inflatable boats and perform mine deactivation away from ship or land-based users.

The vehicle is 1.5 meters (4.9 feet) long, has a width of 0.5 meters (1.6 feet), and weighs approximately 50 kilograms (110 pounds).

It is equipped with vertical and horizontal thrusters, backup batteries, a tracking system, auto-pilot software, and a dual-frequency scanner.

The K-Ster C can move up to 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) per hour, has a range of 2,000 meters (6,562 feet), and a service depth of 300 meters (984 feet).

Supporting Mine Countermeasure Vessel Program

Exail’s contract aligns with the Belgian and Dutch governments’ ongoing program signed in 2019 to co-produce up to 12 frigates for minehunting operations.

The vessels, named the City class, will be distributed equally to the nations through 2030.

The fleet’s lead platform “Oostende” (M 940) began its initial sea trials in June. Delivery of the platform is anticipated in the summer of next year, with the Belgian Navy as its future operator.

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Deliveries will take place in the last quarter of 2024, in phases.

The ministry placed the repeat order after an initial purchase of 51 IRIS static drone radars 18 months ago, which have been deployed in various locations.

The latest radar comes equipped with a new on-the-move functionality, allowing it to operate while mounted on mobile platforms such as vehicles and vessels.

A mobile radar is harder to detect and target compared to static platforms, allowing it more uninterrupted time to perform drone detection.

IRIS Drone Radar

The three-dimensional, 29-kilogram (64-pound) IRIS radar is designed to detect small, fast, and elusive drones and is capable of distinguishing them from flying objects such as birds.

It provides early warning and precise updates, even while moving at high speed. The radar has an azimuth coverage of 360 degrees and an elevation of 60 degrees.

It has a maximum instrumented range of 5 kilometers (3 miles). It can detect drones weighing 3 kilograms (6 pounds) at a range of 4 kilometers (2.48 miles) and those weighing 1.4 kilograms (3 pounds) at a range of 2 kilometers (1.24 miles).

The investment by the Dutch Ministry of Defense helped develop the capability, which protects against “motion-induced effects that could degrade coverage, accuracy and line of sight,” the company explained.

The purchase will help the company scale up weekly IRIS production to four units and enable further innovations for the front line.

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The order will be handed over by General Dynamics European Land Systems (GDELS) in support of a broader Wide Gap Crossing agreement that consists of Improved Ribbon Bridge and Bridge Adapter Pallets.

Birdon noted that six of the BEBs are now in the final stages of assembly.

Alongside the boats, the Colorado-based company will provide the army with a logistics support package, technical manuals, and associated competency sessions.

Training for the Dutch operators is set to begin in the first quarter of 2025.

Before the delivery schedule’s announcement, Birdon hosted a meeting with GDELS and the Dutch Armed Forces’ Contract and Program segment to finalize the shipment.

The event also saw an inspection of the platforms’ production and quality on top of a sea trial for the first boat.

“We’re proud to supply the BEB as an essential force multiplier for the Netherlands Army,” Birdon BEB Program Manager Jim Ducker commented.

“These vessels play a pivotal role in enabling vitally important wet gap crossings, and this first delivery indicates contract completion is progressing in a timely manner.”

Birdon’s Bridge Erection Boats

According to Birdon’s product portal, the BEB is deployed for ground assets requiring passage over open waters by acting as a floating bridge.

The capability also serves as a ferry to transport vehicles, troops, or equipment on strategic waterways and anchorage against strong currents in active operations or during water-related construction.

It is equipped with a water jet developed by Birdon subsidiary NAMJet. It has a top speed of 24 knots (44 kilometers/28 miles per hour).

Birdon’s northeast Denver facility has already produced approximately 460 BEBs to date.

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The Thales radar is a temporary replacement for the Medium Power Radar until the commissioning of the long-range SMART-L Multi-Mission/Fixed system, also from Thales.

A mobile NATO radar has been operational at the station since the decommissioning of the Medium Power Radar in March, according to Military Leak.

GM400α will monitor the country’s southern airspace while an already operational SMART-L radar in Wier, Friesland, has been scanning the country’s northern airspace since 2021.

It enhances Amsterdam’s situational awareness, enabling better monitoring of NATO airspace while supporting military air operations. 

Ground Master 400 Alpha

An upgrade to the GM400, the Alpha features a five-fold increase in processing power and a 10 percent greater range than its predecessor’s 470 kilometers (292 miles).

It has an update time of six seconds and an elevation coverage of up to 40 degrees, allowing continuous airspace scanning and simultaneous detection of all types of high, medium, and low altitude targets such as jets, missiles, low-flying drones, and helicopters.

Additional features include advanced artificial intelligence-based algorithms and enhanced cyber security.

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According to the Dutch Ministry of Defence, the District Court of The Hague rejected the claims made by losing bidder Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) and upheld the original decision.

The court did not provide specific details regarding its verdict.

With the protest dismissal, the contract to build four Orka-class submarines will remain with Naval Group and its Dutch partner Royal IHC.

The Protest

In March 2024, State Secretary for Defense Christophe van der Maat announced that Naval Group won a multibillion-dollar program to replace the country’s aging Walrus-class submarines.

He said the French firm succeeded in pitching a “balanced, versatile, and realistic” platform, while highlighting the important contributions of Dutch manufacturers.

However, TKMS filed an objection later that month, saying it had unanswered questions regarding “specific evaluation criteria.”

Though the company did not say exactly what it was questioning, it claimed that its questions were relevant to the overall evaluation of the award decision.

“This measure is a professional business procedure in such publicly tendered major projects and part of the competition,” TKMS argued.

Orka-Class Submarines

According to the Dutch defense ministry, the Orka-class submarines will be a significant improvement over the country’s Walrus class because of their new design and ability to launch cruise missiles.

They will also boast modern sensors and communication systems for collecting, analyzing, and sharing intelligence.

“Because the boats are larger than submarines designed for operations close to their home base, they can also operate independently for long periods far from home. This combination is rare and means that Dutch submarines are highly regarded within NATO,” it added.

Despite some lawmakers wanting to opt for a consortium of Swedish firm Saab and Dutch shipbuilder Damen, the decision to tap Naval Group had been widely supported in the House of Representatives.

The first two submarines in the class — the Orka and the Zwaardvis — are expected to be delivered to the Royal Netherlands Navy within 10 years.

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