<p><strong>East Netherlands is developing the technologies of tomorrow. This results in innovations with applications in sectors such as transport, logistics and shipping, as well as defence. Thales, based in Hengelo in the province of Overijssel, and Microflown AVISA, based in Arnhem in the province of Gelderland, manufacture radar systems and acoustic vector sensors respectively to safeguard low-altitude airspace. Demand for their products is growing rapidly. To meet that demand, both companies are collaborating with armed forces and other businesses across Europe.</strong></p><p>Thales Netherlands is part of an international defence group employing approximately 80,000 people worldwide, including 3,000 in the Netherlands. Its Dutch site in Hengelo specialises in radar development, systems integration for naval vessels, fire-control systems, vehicle communications and cybersecurity. “We also develop civilian applications, such as site security and water management, but our core business in the Netherlands is defence technology. Around 80 per cent of our revenue comes from exports to more than 35 countries, primarily for their navies,” explains Job van Harmelen, Head of Communications at Thales.&nbsp;</p><p>Microflown AVISA is a spin-off from the University of Twente. In the early 1990s, Hans-Elias de Bree discovered by chance that the flow sensor he was developing was sensitive enough to exhibit acoustic properties and measure what is known as acoustic particle velocity—the counterpart of sound pressure. The name AVISA reflects precisely what the company does: Acoustic Vector Sensors Increasing Situational Awareness.Acoustic sensors are passive, which means they do not reveal their own position. “Using its SKYSENTRY software and universal acoustic vector sensors, Microflown AVISA can detect multicopters, Shahed-136 drones and other threats,” says Alex Koers, co-founder and managing director of Microflown. “The system was sold to two NATO countries in 2025. We also have a civilian division, Microflown Technologies, which serves the automotive and aerospace industries.”</p><blockquote><p>'Around 80 per cent of our revenue comes from exports to more than 35 countries, primarily for their navies. - Job van Harmelen.</p></blockquote><h2>Rising Order Volumes and Government Investment</h2><p>Geopolitical tensions and Europe’s policy of promoting domestic production to strengthen its strategic autonomy have driven significant demand for both companies’ products.&nbsp;</p><p>“The number of orders is rising sharply, as is our workforce,” says Van Harmelen. “The Dutch government is securing production capacity by investing in the expansion of our testing and manufacturing facilities, including the printed circuit board plant in Hengelo, which is unique in the Netherlands. Clear plans of this kind, combined with a firm government commitment, have a positive effect throughout the supply chain. They also give our suppliers the confidence they need to invest in expanding their own capacity. Most of these suppliers are SMEs and family-owned businesses in the metalworking and assembly industries in East Netherlands, supplemented by suppliers from Germany. Approximately 95 per cent manufacture products for both defence and civilian markets.”&nbsp;</p><p>“There are also grant programmes that cover part of the costs incurred by companies such as ours,” Koers explains. “Microflown AVISA previously conducted a research and development programme with the Dutch Ministry of Defence, focusing primarily on artillery detection. We would welcome the opportunity to engage with the Ministry on air defence as well; other European countries are currently ahead of the Netherlands in this area.”</p><figure class="image image_resized" style="width:77.45%;"><img src="https://cms.thinkeast.nl/uploads/Microflown_foto_87df457440.jpg" alt="Microflown foto.jpg" srcset="https://cms.thinkeast.nl/uploads/thumbnail_Microflown_foto_87df457440.jpg 245w, https://cms.thinkeast.nl/uploads/small_Microflown_foto_87df457440.jpg 500w, https://cms.thinkeast.nl/uploads/medium_Microflown_foto_87df457440.jpg 750w, https://cms.thinkeast.nl/uploads/large_Microflown_foto_87df457440.jpg 1000w" sizes="100vw" width="1000"><figcaption>Microflown</figcaption></figure><h2>Collaboration with Armed Forces Shortens the Development Cycle</h2><p>In recent years, both companies have made substantial changes to the product development phase. “The current geopolitical situation demands a shorter development cycle,” says Van Harmelen. “Thales is therefore experimenting with new forms of collaboration in which defence personnel are directly involved in the development process and requirements are refined incrementally.”</p><p>Microflown AVISA has adopted a similar approach in collaboration with the Latvian Armed Forces. “We work with the Latvian government and GDELS—General Dynamics European Land Systems, Europe’s largest manufacturer of military vehicles,” says Koers. “GDELS vehicles need to be protected against the threat posed by multicopters. This is achieved using a combination of passive sensors installed on the vehicle, including our acoustic vector sensors. The Danish company MyDefence is also involved, supplying radio-frequency direction finders, along with an Estonian manufacturer of electro-optical camera systems.”</p><h2>Collaboration Makes Product Development Affordable</h2><p>In addition to end users, other companies contribute to technological development at both businesses. “All the companies we work with in Latvia are leaders in their respective fields,” Koers explains. “We share knowledge and experience with them on matters such as market trends, customer requirements, ease of use and the application of artificial intelligence.”</p><p>Thales collaborates with other companies and universities on long-term technology development. “Within the Polaris consortium, which is co-funded by the Dutch National Growth Fund, we are working with Philips and NXP on fundamental sensor technologies,” says Van Harmelen. “Technologies developed for radar systems, such as advanced cooling and radio-frequency technology, also provide the foundations for medical scanners and other civilian products. Each company in the consortium applies the resulting insights within its own market, but collaboration is essential because the required investment would be prohibitively expensive for any individual company.”</p><p>Text: Mirjam van Huet, MCM Tekst</p>

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