Rising sabotage against European defence firms prompts Dutch companies to tighten security

A series of sabotage and attempted attacks on defence companies in Poland, Slovakia, Italy and a thwarted strike on a cargo aircraft in Leipzig have been attributed to Russian actors. Dutch defence suppliers, including a growing number of start-ups that provide equipment or software to Ukraine, are confronting an evolving risk picture that extends beyond traditional wartime scenarios. Specialists from Clingendael and TNO warn that espionage and theft of proprietary information are rising, prompting calls for enhanced physical protection, cyber defenses and employee awareness programmes.

While larger firms can invest in fences, gates and secure communications, many smaller enterprises lack the resources and seek government assistance. Industry groups such as DNV Nederland stress the need for collaborative resilience planning between the public and private sectors to mitigate combined physical-cyber threats.