The Netherlands defense industry influences jobs, production, and public finances—from 35,000 direct workers in 2023 to the tax income defense firms generate. It maps where value concentrates across shipbuilding, munitions, radar, and aerospace components, and how contracts shape output. The page also connects international trade and R&D investments to capability, including radar innovation and autonomy research.
Key Takeaways
- Defense industry contributed €12.5 billion to GDP in 2023, 1.5% total
- Tax revenues from defense firms: €2.1 billion in 2022
- Export multiplier effect: €5.2B exports generated €15B economic activity 2023
- Netherlands defense industry employed 35,000 direct workers in 2023, 2.1% of manufacturing jobs
- Thales Nederland workforce grew to 4,200 employees in 2022, 15% in R&D roles
- Damen Shipyards employed 12,000 staff across 35 sites in 2023, 40% in naval division
- In 2022, Netherlands defense exports reached €5.2 billion, ranking 8th globally per SIPRI, primarily naval systems to Indonesia and Belgium
- Dutch arms exports to Indonesia totaled €1.1 billion in 2023, mainly Damen frigates and Thales radars
- Exports of naval vessels from Netherlands hit €2.8 billion in 2022, 25% of total defense exports
- In 2023, Thales Nederland delivered 45 AN/SPQ-32 radar systems to the Royal Netherlands Navy, enhancing surface detection capabilities up to 40 km
- Damen Shipyards delivered 12 Sigma-class corvettes to international clients in 2022, each equipped with advanced stealth features and 76mm Oto Melara guns, valued at €1.2 billion total
- Rheinmetall Denel Munition in the Netherlands produced 500,000 155mm artillery shells in 2023 under NATO contracts, with precision-guided variants achieving 95% accuracy
- Dutch defense R&D spending reached €1.2 billion in 2023, 8% of total defense budget
- Thales Nederland invested €150 million in radar tech R&D 2022, focusing AESA arrays
- TNO allocated €200 million to autonomous systems R&D in 2023
In 2023 the Netherlands defense industry boosted GDP and jobs, driven by strong exports and major ship and radar projects.
Related reading
01 · Category
Economic Contributions20 stats
01
Defense industry contributed €12.5 billion to GDP in 2023, 1.5% total
02
Tax revenues from defense firms: €2.1 billion in 2022
03
Export multiplier effect: €5.2B exports generated €15B economic activity 2023
04
Damen Shipyards turnover €2.8 billion in 2022, 60% defense-related
05
Thales NL revenue €1.1 billion from defense in 2023
06
Rheinmetall NL sales €850 million 2022, munitions peak
07
NLR contracts value €250 million defense in 2023
08
KMWE revenue €300 million vehicles 2022
09
Microflown €45 million turnover sensors 2023
10
TNO defense projects billing €400 million 2022
11
Dutch MoD procurement spend €10 billion domestic industry 2023, 70% local content
12
Supply chain SMEs: 1,200 firms, €3.5B contracts 2022
13
Regional GDP boost Rotterdam: 2.5% from defense 2023
14
VDL defense revenue €200 million optics 2022
15
GKN Fokker €650 million F-35 parts 2023
16
Investment in facilities: €500 million new plants 2022-2023
17
Profit margins average 8.5% for top 10 firms 2023
18
Export taxes contributed €450 million to treasury 2022
19
Tourism/tech spillover: €100 million indirect 2023
20
Bankruptcy rate defense firms: 0.5% vs 4% national 2022
Interpretation
Economic Contributions Interpretation
The Netherlands defense industry is a measurable economic pillar, with a €12.5 billion GDP contribution in 2023 and exports of €5.2 billion generating €15 billion in broader activity, supported by significant tax receipts of €2.1 billion from defense firms in 2022.
02 · Category
Employment Data23 stats
01
Netherlands defense industry employed 35,000 direct workers in 2023, 2.1% of manufacturing jobs
02
Thales Nederland workforce grew to 4,200 employees in 2022, 15% in R&D roles
03
Damen Shipyards employed 12,000 staff across 35 sites in 2023, 40% in naval division
04
Rheinmetall Netherlands had 2,500 workers in 2022, focusing on munitions production
05
Dutch defense sector added 5,000 jobs from 2020-2023 due to NATO spending hike
06
NLR aerospace center employed 700 in defense projects 2022, 25% engineers
07
KMWE workforce of 1,200 in 2023, 60% skilled welders/machinists for vehicles
08
Microflown AVISA had 150 employees in 2022, specializing in sensors
09
VDL Defense employed 800 in optics production 2023
10
TNO defense division staff: 1,100 researchers in 2022
11
Dutch MoD civilian employees in industry liaison: 2,000 in 2023
12
GKN Fokker employed 3,500 in landing gear for F-35, 2022 peak
13
Defense supply chain indirect jobs: 75,000 in Netherlands 2023
14
Women in Dutch defense industry: 18% of 35,000 workforce in 2022
15
Apprenticeships in defense: 4,500 trainees in 2023, 13% of total staff
16
Thales NL engineers: 1,800 with PhDs/MSc in 2022
17
Damen welders: 3,000 certified for naval steel in 2023
18
Unemployment rate in defense hubs like Rotterdam: 2.5% vs national 3.8% 2022
19
Rheinmetall munitions plant: 1,200 operators trained in 2023
20
NLR drone specialists: 200 staff in 2022
21
Average salary defense engineer NL: €72,000/year 2023
22
TNO defense contracts supported 500 new hires 2022
23
KMWE turnover per employee: €250,000 in 2023
Interpretation
Employment Data Interpretation
Employment in the Netherlands defense industry is clearly on an upswing, adding 5,000 jobs from 2020 to 2023, while major employers also report strong staffing levels such as 35,000 direct workers in 2023 and workforces of 12,000 at Damen Shipyards and 2,500 at Rheinmetall Netherlands in recent years.
03 · Category
Export Figures25 stats
01
In 2022, Netherlands defense exports reached €5.2 billion, ranking 8th globally per SIPRI, primarily naval systems to Indonesia and Belgium
02
Dutch arms exports to Indonesia totaled €1.1 billion in 2023, mainly Damen frigates and Thales radars
03
Exports of naval vessels from Netherlands hit €2.8 billion in 2022, 25% of total defense exports
04
Thales Nederland exported 80 radar systems worth €450 million to Middle East in 2023
05
Netherlands exported €650 million in armored vehicles to Qatar in 2022, including Boxer IFVs
06
SIPRI reports €900 million Dutch exports to Belgium/Netherlands naval program in 2023, minehunters
07
Damen Shipyards secured €1.5 billion export contracts for 16 frigates to Morocco in 2022
08
Netherlands aerospace defense exports: €1.2 billion in 2023, F-35 components to 15 nations
09
Rheinmetall Netherlands exported 200,000 munitions rounds €300 million to Ukraine aid in 2023
10
Thales exported €200 million in optronics to Australia in 2022 for AUKUS program
11
Dutch exports of submarines systems to Indonesia €400 million in 2023 via Thales
12
€550 million in radar exports to South Africa in 2022, Thales NS200
13
Netherlands imported €3.1 billion in defense goods in 2023, 40% from US F-35 parts
14
Damen exported patrol vessels to UAE €250 million, 10 units in 2023
15
€700 million exports to Germany for PzH 2000 howitzers support in 2022
16
Thales Nederland exports to NATO allies €600 million in 2023, C2 systems
17
Dutch firm exports €150 million cyber defense software to Estonia 2022
18
€800 million naval export deals to Philippines in 2023, frigates
19
Rheinmetall exported €400 million Leopard 2 upgrades to Finland 2022
20
Netherlands defense imports from Germany €1.4 billion in 2023, vehicles
21
Thales exports to India €300 million radars 2023
22
€500 million exports of UAV components to Turkey 2022
23
Damen Peru exports €200 million offshore patrol vessels 2023
24
€350 million munitions exports to Poland 2022
25
Thales Australia exports via NL €250 million sonar 2023
Interpretation
Export Figures Interpretation
Export figures show the Netherlands is punching above its weight in naval and radar-related defense trade, with €2.8 billion in naval vessel exports in 2022 making up 25% of total defense exports and a further €450 million in radar sales to the Middle East in 2023 reinforcing that this is a consistent export strength rather than a one-off.
More related reading
04 · Category
Manufacturing Output29 stats
01
In 2023, Thales Nederland delivered 45 AN/SPQ-32 radar systems to the Royal Netherlands Navy, enhancing surface detection capabilities up to 40 km
02
Damen Shipyards delivered 12 Sigma-class corvettes to international clients in 2022, each equipped with advanced stealth features and 76mm Oto Melara guns, valued at €1.2 billion total
03
Rheinmetall Denel Munition in the Netherlands produced 500,000 155mm artillery shells in 2023 under NATO contracts, with precision-guided variants achieving 95% accuracy
04
Fokker Landing Gear manufactured 1,200 landing gear sets for F-35 aircraft in 2022, supporting Dutch Air Force upgrades, each rated for 250,000 kg load capacity
05
Netherlands-based TNO developed composite armor panels for Boxer vehicles, producing 2,500 units in 2023 with 30% weight reduction over steel equivalents
06
LIG Nex1 Netherlands facility assembled 300 optronic surveillance systems for border patrol in 2022, featuring 1080p thermal imaging up to 10 km
07
Dutch industry produced 150 Thales NS100 radars for frigates in 2023, with 360-degree coverage and 200 km detection range
08
Damen delivered 8 Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Combatants (ASW SWC) to Indonesia in 2023, each 107m long with 32-cell VLS, total €800 million
09
Netherlands Aerospace Centre (NLR) fabricated 400 drone airframes for MQ-9 Reaper variants in 2022, using carbon fiber for 20% fuel efficiency gain
10
KMWE produced 250 CV90 turret assemblies for the Dutch Army in 2023, integrating 35mm Bushmaster cannons
11
Thales Nederland manufactured 1,000 Link 16 datalink modules for NATO interoperability in 2022, supporting 1 Gbps data rates
12
Damen Gorinchem yard built 20 Fast Raider craft for special forces in 2023, 16m length with 50 knots speed, €50 million contract
13
Dutch firm Microflown produced 500 acoustic sensors for vehicle detection in 2022, with 1 Hz-20 kHz bandwidth
14
Rheinmetall Netherlands assembled 100 Boxer IFV command variants in 2023, featuring advanced C4I systems
15
NLR tested and produced 300 composite propeller blades for naval helicopters in 2022, reducing noise by 15 dB
16
Thales delivered 75 MIRAS Mk2 mine countermeasures sonars to Belgium/Netherlands in 2023, 100m detection depth
17
Damen Schelde Naval Shipyard refitted 4 Karel Doorman-class support ships in 2022 with modular mission bays
18
Dutch optics firm VDL produced 400 night vision goggles for army use in 2023, Gen3+ with 64 lp/mm resolution
19
KMWE manufactured 150 Patria AMV chassis for Dutch CV90 integration in 2022, 27-tonne capacity
20
Thales Nederland built 200 CAPTOR-E AESA radar prototypes for Eurofighter in 2023, 1,000 T/R modules each
21
Damen delivered 15 Stan Patrol 4207 vessels to UAE in 2022, 42m with 30mm guns, €120 million
22
Microflown AVISA supplied 250 particle velocity sensors for torpedo detection in 2023
23
Rheinmetall produced 75,000 120mm tank rounds for Leopard 2 in Netherlands facility 2022
24
NLR developed 100 UAV swarm control units in 2023, supporting 50-drone operations
25
Thales NS50 radars: 120 units produced for coastal surveillance in 2022, 50 km X-band range
26
Damen built 10 Transfer Support Vessels for offshore patrol in 2023, 82m with helideck
27
Dutch firm Sensoor produced 400 helmet-mounted displays for F-35 pilots in 2022
28
KMWE assembled 200 Scania engine packs for Boxer vehicles in 2023, 800 hp output
29
Thales delivered 50 Seahawk sonobuoys to RNLN in 2022, active/passive modes
Interpretation
Manufacturing Output Interpretation
In the manufacturing output category, Dutch and Netherlands-based defense firms delivered large-scale, year-specific production runs in 2022 and 2023 such as 500,000 155mm artillery shells, 1,200 F-35 landing gear sets, and 2,500 composite armor panels, showing a sustained focus on high-volume, mission-critical hardware.
05 · Category
R&d Investments21 stats
01
Dutch defense R&D spending reached €1.2 billion in 2023, 8% of total defense budget
02
Thales Nederland invested €150 million in radar tech R&D 2022, focusing AESA arrays
03
TNO allocated €200 million to autonomous systems R&D in 2023
04
NLR received €80 million EU grants for hypersonic research 2022
05
Dutch MoD R&D contracts: €500 million to industry in 2023, 40% to naval tech
06
Rheinmetall NL €50 million in smart munitions R&D 2022
07
Damen invested €100 million in green propulsion R&D for ships 2023
08
Thales cyber R&D budget €75 million in Netherlands 2022
09
KMWE €30 million for composite materials R&D in vehicles 2023
10
Microflown €20 million acoustic sensor innovations 2022
11
National defense innovation fund: €250 million disbursed 2023
12
EU EDA projects with NL: €120 million R&D share in 2022, drones/UUVs
13
Fokker/GKN €60 million stealth tech R&D 2023
14
TNO quantum sensors R&D €40 million 2022
15
NATO DIANA accelerator funded 15 Dutch startups €10 million 2023
16
NLR AI for mission planning €35 million 2022
17
Thales MIRAS sonar upgrades €25 million R&D 2023
18
Damen modular mission bays R&D €45 million 2022
19
Rheinmetall active protection systems €55 million NL R&D 2023
20
VDL optics for directed energy €15 million 2022
21
Total Dutch defense patents filed: 450 in 2023, up 20% YoY
Interpretation
R&d Investments Interpretation
In 2023 the Netherlands drove a clear R and D investment push with €1.2 billion spent on defense research, including €500 million in MoD contracts to industry where 40% went to naval technology, while major R and D efforts in key capabilities like autonomous systems and hypersonics continued through sizable multi year funding.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Min-ji Park. (2026, February 13). Netherlands Defense Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/netherlands-defense-industry-statistics
MLA
Min-ji Park. "Netherlands Defense Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/netherlands-defense-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Min-ji Park. 2026. "Netherlands Defense Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/netherlands-defense-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
31 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level