At Ramstein Air Base in Germany, NATO’s Allied Air Command convened its second Industry Day this week, bringing together European arms manufacturers and military leaders to address a pressing challenge: how to counter the growing threat of unmanned aerial systems without bankrupting the alliance. The event, held under the shadow of recent incidents—a drone crash in Romania, a violation of Lithuanian airspace, and a shutdown at Munich Airport—underscored the urgency of finding cost-effective solutions.
Currently, NATO’s response to a drone incursion, codenamed “Eastern Sentry,” involves scrambling fighter jets. But this is an expensive fix: a single drone can cost under €100,000, while a two-jet interception runs over €85,000 per hour, before any missiles are fired. Lieutenant General Guillaume Thomas, Deputy Commander of the Allied Air Command, framed the issue as a “collective challenge,” noting that Russia’s mass use of drones in Ukraine demands progress on three fronts: cost, production, and innovation. “We need to stay ahead of these curves,” he said, calling for closer ties between industry and the armed forces.
Ukraine’s Radar Gap
Dr. Ulrike Franke, a senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, argued that drones have “brought mass to the battlefield,” forcing NATO to prioritize volume and affordability over expensive hardware. She stressed that collaboration with Ukraine is not optional but a “requirement.” Senior Lieutenant Oleksandr Vorobiov, deputy chief of air defence for Ukraine’s 3rd Army Corps, highlighted a critical shortfall: reliable radar detection. “The radars we mostly use in Ukraine were not designed to detect this type of drone,” he explained. “They’re weather radars, jet radars—basically any type except ones designed for these drones. The target sometimes disappears from the radar picture for ten seconds, and then the drone needs manual operation. That’s the biggest gap.” He added that Europe or the US may have better capabilities, but he is uncertain.
This radar deficiency has stymied the development of fully autonomous interceptor drones, a key goal for Ukraine. The war has seen Russia deploy faster jet-powered drones, as reported in our coverage of the evolving threat, and the EU has responded with new sanctions on Russian drone manufacturers after deadly strikes on Kyiv.
Industry Responds
The Industry Day aimed to bridge the gap between military needs and industrial innovation. Lieutenant Colonel Steffen Bott, the event’s project manager, emphasized that NATO does not sign contracts with companies but identifies operational requirements. “Technologies in the counter-UAS field are evolving extremely quickly,” he said. “Start-ups and established defence companies are driving innovation, while military requirements adapt faster than procurement processes.” Around 35 firms exhibited their systems, including MBDA, Hensoldt, Alta Ares, and Aselsan. MBDA showcased a specialized counter-drone missile designed for mass attacks like those seen in Ukraine and the Middle East, targeting Shahed or Geran drones cost-effectively. The missile is being integrated into Rheinmetall’s Skyranger 30 air defence system, with the first units destined for Germany’s brigade in Lithuania, expected between 2027 and 2028. Each Skyranger 30 carries nine missiles, and a six-vehicle battery can field 54 interceptors. Smaller drones are engaged by a 30 mm cannon, while the missile handles larger threats.
The challenge extends beyond hardware. As the recent deadly barrage in Kyiv shows, drones are reshaping warfare, and European industry must scale up production and innovation to keep pace. The question remains whether Europe can close the gap—or if it will continue to rely on costly fighter jets to swat cheap drones.
