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STORY: :: Ukraine joins a NATO drill to test

anti-drone systems for the first time

:: The alliance is seeking to learn from

the use of unmanned systems in the war

:: September 19, 2024

:: Vredepeel, Netherlands

:: Claudio Palestini, Co-chair, NATO working group on unmanned systems

"Every year we see an evolution of the threat, with the introduction of new technology like first-person-view drones or more autonomy in the use of drones. But also we see a lot of capabilities that are becoming more mature."

The drills at a Dutch military base, involving more than 20 countries and some 50 companies, tested cutting-edge systems to detect and counter drones and assessed how they work together.

The 11-day exercise ended with a demonstration of jamming and hacking drones in a week when their critical role in the Ukraine war was demonstrated once again.

On Wednesday, a large Ukrainian drone attack triggered an earthquake-sized blast at a major Russian arsenal. The following day, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Moscow was ramping up drone production tenfold to nearly 1.4 million this year.

Experts have warned NATO that it needs to catch up quickly on drone warfare.