In anticipation of the NATO summit held on 24–25 June 2025 at the World Forum in The Hague, the Netherlands launched Operation Orange Shield, the largest deployment ever by the Dutch military. Under civil command, this enormous security initiative involved more than 10,000 defence personnel, including active-duty military, reservists, and civilian staff .
Key Deployment Details
Land, sea, and air security: Military resources ranged from naval frigates patrolling the North Sea to F‑35 fighter jets, Apache helicopters, and air-defence systems safeguarding the summit area .
Bomb disposal and cyber defence: The operation included explosive ordnance teams and cybersecurity specialists to guard against both physical and digital threats .
Logistics and escort: Detailed planning covered everything from helicopter flight paths to securing even minor pedestrian tunnels under major convoy routes .
Police and Border Security
Simultaneously, Dutch authorities mobilized an unprecedented 27,000 national police officers, about half the entire force, tasked with general public safety, crowd control, delegation protection, and border security at Schiphol Airport . The Royal Marechaussee contributed 9,000 additional services, including specialist teams for document control, surveillance, arrest operations, and personal protection .
Air and Maritime Exclusion
Strict restrictions were enforced in nearby airspace and coastal zones:
A 16 km no-fly zone around The Hague was active from 15:00 on 23 June to 23:59 on 25 June.
A 22 km maritime exclusion zone extended off the coast between Hook of Holland and Noordwijk.
Civil Coordination and Public Impact
Under the coordination of the National Coordinator for Security and Counterterrorism (NCTV), civilian entities—including multiple ministries, municipalities, Schiphol, public transport operators, and ports—collaborated to reduce public disruption . This included:
Early road closures, notably Johan de Wittlaan since April, to build security infrastructure .
Airport runway closures and a 25–30% reduction in commercial flights at Schiphol to manage airspace restrictions .
Public advisories encouraging working from home and avoiding travel during peak summit days .
Plans to accommodate limited protests near World Forum while directing larger gatherings to designated locations.
Operation Orange Shield represents a monumental civil-military cooperation designed to safeguard global leaders, maintain uninterrupted summit operations, and balance rigorous security with societal impact.
