NATO announced today that it is launching a joint platform designed to enable the Alliance’s 32 member states to procure counter-drone capabilities more quickly and efficiently. The decision comes amid an increase in incidents involving unmanned aerial vehicles in Europe.
“The idea is to offer a kind of purchasing mechanism, sometimes described as e-commerce, through which these counter-drone capabilities can be acquired in an extremely straightforward way,” Claudio Palestini, head of the North Atlantic Alliance’s innovation division, told reporters.
Drawing on its expertise, NATO has launched public procurement procedures to select the most effective and, at the same time, least expensive systems, which it will subsequently offer to member states.
Approximately 80 bids were received, and 16 contracts were signed with five companies from the defense sector. Their products, all approved following an evaluation period lasting several months, are now available for purchase or long-term lease by NATO’s 32 member states. The companies are French startup Alta Ares, German company Quantum Systems, US companies Axon and Northrop Grumman, and British company OSL Technology.
The systems are intended to protect borders and strategic sites and offer various counter-drone solutions: signal jamming, the use of interceptor drones, as well as other types of weaponry, including artillery.
NATO уточнява, че цената на всяка от тези системи варира между 1,6 и 25 милиона евро.
During the 2025 summit in The Hague, the Alliance’s member states committed to allocating at least 40 billion dollars (approximately 37 billion euros) over five years to strengthen their counter-drone capabilities.
Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia – former Soviet republics that share a border with Russia – regularly report drones entering their territory.
Poland and Romania have also been the targets of similar airspace violations.