Dutch military invests millions in drone software platform

AMSTERDAM, July 3 (Reuters) - The Dutch military will invest tens of millions of euros in a three-year partnership with Dutch defence technology company Intelic to develop drone software, the two sides said on Friday.

The Dutch Defence Ministry and Intelic said they aimed to create a common software platform that would allow unmanned systems from different manufacturers to operate together.

"Ukraine teaches us that not only the hardware, but also the software is of great importance," junior defence minister Derk Boswijk said.

"Making different drone systems work together makes the fight easier."

The partnership will build on Intelic's NEXUS command-and-control software, which the company said has been used on the battlefield in Ukraine since last year.

"Europe now has more than 700 drone manufacturers, and that number continues to grow," Intelic CEO Maurits Korthals Altes said.

"For defence organisations, the challenge is no longer access to technology, but ensuring those technologies can operate together."

(Reporting by Bart Meijer. Editing by Mark Potter)