Estonian uncrewed ground vehicle maker Milrem Robotics and Dutch industrial integrator VDL Defentec formally opened a THeMIS assembly line in Born, the Netherlands on June 4, 2026, handing over the first vehicles produced on the new line to the Dutch government for onward delivery to Ukraine. The opening is the cornerstone of a Netherlands-funded order for more than 100 THeMIS UGVs and marks the largest dedicated robotic ground vehicle manufacturing footprint Milrem has stood up outside Estonia.
Born Becomes Europe's Newest Combat-UGV Hub
The Born facility, run jointly through Milrem's Dutch subsidiary and VDL Defentec's integration team, was designed for flexibility from the outset. Final-assembly capacity can be scaled quickly and delivery cadence can be accelerated when required, the partners said at the opening ceremony. The first vehicles off the line were transferred directly to the Dutch Ministry of Defense for hand-over to Ukrainian armed forces.
From 70 To 150 THeMIS In Ukrainian Service By Year-End
Milrem Robotics expects to more than double the number of THeMIS UGVs in Ukrainian service from 70 today to 150 by the end of 2026 once the Dutch deliveries are complete. THeMIS is already in service across 12 countries including seven NATO members and has emerged as the most widely deployed combat UGV in Ukraine, performing cargo runs, casualty evacuation and weaponised overwatch missions. The Born line is part of Milrem's broader push for an interoperable robotised approach to NATO's Eastern Flank Deterrence Initiative, which the company is showcasing at Eurosatory 2026.
HAVOC Trials Continue In Parallel
While the THeMIS volume push runs out of the Netherlands, Milrem's heavier 8x8 HAVOC Robotic Combat Vehicle continues mobility and auto-navigation trials, with live-fire testing planned in the second half of 2026 and a second prototype already in build. Production of HAVOC is targeted for 2028-2029. Together, the two platforms anchor Milrem's mid-decade strategy of leading the European combat UGV stack while Western primes like AM General and Textron Systems play catch-up on the autonomy integration side.
The Funding Mechanics
The Dutch government is paying for the THeMIS deliveries directly, sidestepping the slower channels that typically gate European materiel transfers to Ukraine. The model, similar to Germany's framework with Helsing on HX-2 loitering munitions covered in coverage tracked by our NDAA 2027 coverage, gives Milrem predictable demand visibility while letting the Dutch absorb manufacturing capacity inside its own industrial base via VDL.
Reporting based on coverage from Defence Industry Europe, Defense News and The Defense Post.