Dutch air force renamed to Royal Netherlands Air and Space Force to reflect operational role in space

According to the Ministry of Defence, the new name better represents the armed forces’ active role across all operational domains: sea, land, air, cyber, and now also space. The Ministry states that air and space are “inseparably connected,” and that space is now visibly embedded within the air force structure.

Lieutenant General André Steur, Commander of the Air Force, stressed that space is no longer a matter of future strategy. “It is operational reality. A domain with its own threats, opportunities and effects. A domain in which we must be able to see, manoeuvre, understand and intervene,” he said.

“Today, we are giving space a permanent place in our armed forces,” Steur added. “Not as an appendix, but as a strengthening factor for everything we do.”

Current conflicts, including those in Ukraine and the Middle East, underline this shift. “Precision no longer primarily comes from the weapon, but from data – from communication, navigation, real-time situational awareness,” Steur explained. “Whoever controls space, controls the fight. Whoever is blind to it, structurally falls behind.”

Defence Minister Ruben Brekelmans also highlighted the strategic role of space in military capability. “Without space, there is no effective defence. Space is not a luxury. It is a force enabler. It is a foundation on which our armed forces operate,” he said.

Brekelmans described the renaming as marking a new chapter. “It is a recognition that space is a fully-fledged military domain,” he stated. The establishment of CLRS also supports Europe’s strategic autonomy. “For the Netherlands. For Europe. And within NATO,” Brekelmans added.

Strategic autonomy, he said, means the ability to act independently. “To see what is happening, to communicate, to operate and act – even when other countries have different priorities. A good example is the recent launch of our first operational radar satellite. With it, the armed forces now have their own eyes in space. A milestone in our strategic independence.”

The Ministry noted that space operations are essential to military deployment, supporting navigation, communication, observation and intelligence. At the same time, space is no longer just a supporting domain – increasingly, it is where conflicts unfold. As a result, the Dutch armed forces are expanding their capabilities in this critical area.