The Dutch Defence budget will have to face cuts of hundreds of millions of euros, Defence Minister Hans Hillen has said.

The armed forces have been told to halt spending commitments due to a shrinking budget, which resulted in suspension of maintenance work on army barracks and a delay in delivery of spare parts for military equipment.

As a result, the number of army, navy and airforce exercises involving frigates, Fennek vehicles, armoured howitzers, helicopters and F-16 fighter planes have declined, according to Radio Netherlands Worldwide.

The defence ministry currently employs 48,000 military and 21,000 civilian personnel, with 10,000 army jobs to be cut in the next few years.