Photonic chips as the edge of Dutch defense systems

A new report from PhotonDelta and the Brabant Development Agency (BOM) argues that integrated photonic chips — a field in which the Netherlands holds a leading global position — could significantly strengthen modern defense systems, despite the technology's military applications remaining largely unexplored so far.

The report, titled "Geïntegreerde Fotonische Chips voor Defensie & Veiligheid" ("Integrated Photonic Chips for Defense & Security"), was handed over to State Secretary of Defense Derk Boswijk during a working visit to the Hive Aerospace Collective in Hoogerheide, where he was introduced to the region's innovation ecosystem and several leading companies in defense-relevant supply chains.

Why photonic chips?

Integrated photonic chips use light rather than electricity to transmit and process information, and to perform highly precise measurement and detection. According to the study, the technology strengthens four capabilities considered critical in modern conflict: navigation and timing without GPS, secure and interference-resistant communication, advanced sensing and detection, and resilience against electronic warfare.

Because photonic components make systems smaller, lighter, more energy-efficient, and less prone to interference, they are seen as well-suited to drones, satellites, vehicles, and wearable military equipment — including operation in GNSS-denied environments where GPS signals are unavailable or jammed.

“The study by PhotonDelta and BOM contributes to the development of even better cooperation between the Ministry of Defense, companies, government agencies, and research institutions. This is essential for strengthening the Dutch armed forces. The war in Ukraine has once again shown me how important innovation is for the Dutch defense industry. We have also outlined the focus on collaboration with innovative companies in the Defense White Paper, and this study is a great example of that,” said Derk Boswijk, State Secretary for Defense.

Bottlenecks

The report frames the Netherlands as having a rare head start. It points to the country's complete value chain for integrated photonics, reinforced by a new photonic chip factory under construction in Eindhoven. Unlike many countries still building out their photonics supply chains, the Netherlands is positioned to move directly toward concrete defense applications, the study says.

Rather than further lab research, the authors identify adoption, validation, and scaling as the real bottleneck. They propose three priorities: launching a "Defense Photonics Acceleration Program" for 2026–2030 to bundle priority applications; making adoption the central goal of innovation policy by involving end users early and using phased contracting, with Defense acting as a "launching customer"; and investing specifically in what the report calls the "defense last mile" — military qualification, security-by-design, NATO standardization, and systems integration.

The report also stresses that existing Dutch innovation infrastructure, including BITS, ODIN, SecFund, PhotonDelta's growth fund program, and the regional development agencies, is already sufficient; the challenge is coordinating it rather than building something new.