NATO Launches Platform to Help Members Enhance Defenses Against Drones

NATO announced the launch of a new platform to help its member states accelerate the procurement of proven and tested anti-drone equipment, following several incursions by drones that sparked concerns. Claudio Balistigni, head of the Innovation and Technology Adoption Division at NATO, said the Western military alliance has established “a very simple system,” akin to e-commerce platforms, for acquiring the relevant capabilities. Officials explained that the alliance selected what it deemed the best-performing and most cost-effective equipment, following a public tender and an evaluation period lasting several months. The equipment, manufactured by British, French, German, and American companies, is available for purchase or long-term lease. Priced at up to $28 million, the equipment aims to protect borders and strategic sites and includes a variety of technologies, such as electronic jamming systems and interceptor drones. NATO’s 32 member states, including the Baltic countries, Romania, and Poland, have faced a series of drone incursions in the context of the fallout from the war in Ukraine. To date, the alliance has been forced to use expensive jet fighters firing costly missiles to shoot down much cheaper drones, an approach that is costly in the long term.