Dutch PzH 2000s Get New Anti-Drone Armor as NATO Learns From Ukraine

Dutch defense contractor COBBS Industries BV is developing the Netherlands’ first purpose-built anti-drone net system for the PzH 2000NL self-propelled howitzer—an engineered alternative to the improvised “cope cages” seen across Ukraine, according to Army Recognition on November 25.

The program, created under the Dutch Ministry of Defence, reflects what Army Recognition describes as a growing consensus inside NATO: artillery now needs permanent, factory-designed protection against small FPV drones and loitering munitions.

Army Recognition notes that the COBBS system encloses the PzH 2000NL in a full-coverage mesh dome extending over the turret, glacis and engine deck, forming a standoff barrier to force drones to detonate early or lose control before hitting vulnerable roof armor. Unlike field-built cages seen in the Russo-Ukrainian war, the Dutch design is a standardized kit with geometric regularity and controlled weight, ensuring airflow and mobility for the 55-ton gun.

The PzH 2000NL—one of Europe’s most capable 155 mm howitzers—has gained heightened attention since several were transferred to Ukraine. As Army Recognition emphasizes, Ukrainian frontline experience has shaped how European armies think about survivability: artillery that once expected threats only from counter-battery fire must now assume constant FPV surveillance and top-attack strikes.

COBBS Industries, better known for integrating tactical systems and unmanned platforms rather than heavy armor, appears to be designing the cage as part of a wider counter-UAS ecosystem. Army Recognition reports that the cage will likely complement emerging Dutch investments such as the Rheinmetall Skyranger 30, which will provide active interception, while the COBBS system forms the final passive layer for drones that slip through.

The project also mirrors lessons observed by Army Recognition on the Ukrainian battlefield, where both sides have turned to ad hoc overhead armor to survive drone swarms. By moving to a formalized industrial solution, the Netherlands becomes one of the first NATO members to treat anti-drone cages as a program of record rather than a stopgap improvisation.

As Army Recognition points out, this shift is strategic: NATO militaries increasingly expect drone saturation—not traditional airpower—to define the top-attack threat environment. A standardized cage for the PzH 2000NL signals that The Hague is preparing its artillery for the drone-dense battlefields shaped by Ukraine and likely to characterize future high-intensity conflicts.

Earlier, France began field-testing new anti-drone and anti-mine protection for its Leclerc XLR main battle tanks, drawing heavily on lessons from Ukraine’s front lines, where cheap FPV drones and improvised explosives have forced rapid adaptations across NATO.

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