Netherlands developing its own missile: counter airborne threats

Four Dutch organizations are joining forces to develop a new air defense missile. Guardian Dynamics, Demcon, Axient Systems, and the TNO research institute signed an agreement to that effect on Wednesday. The missile, called WARDEN, is intended to help take down drones and other airborne threats.

Need for affordable air defense

The war in Ukraine and the recent conflict in the Gulf region demonstrate the need for affordable air defense. Existing systems are often expensive. WARDEN is intended to complement more advanced air defense systems.

Division of roles

Guardian Dynamics is leading the program and is responsible for the missile’s design. Demcon is handling the technical development and production preparation. Axient Systems is providing expertise in air defense and assisting with missile testing through simulations. TNO is contributing defense research and technical expertise.

Large-scale production

A key objective is to be able to produce the missiles on a large scale. To this end, the partners intend to utilize existing factories and production sites, including those outside the traditional defense industry. This will enable production to be scaled up quickly if the security situation requires it.

The Netherlands also wants to retain control over the missile’s design and key software. This should reduce dependence on foreign suppliers.

For this program, the parties are collaborating with the Ministry of Defense and potential end users. The timeline for when the first missiles are expected to be ready has not been disclosed.