On Tuesday (7 July 2006) at the NATO Summit Defence Industry Forum, NATO Allies announced that over 40 billion dollars will be invested in counter-drone capabilities over the next five years. They also aim to train five times as many drone operators by the end of 2027.
To support rapid procurement, NATO will establish a counter-drone marketplace that will ensure that systems are NATO-tested, NATO-compatible, and available for purchase.
To support drone training, Allies will also leverage NATO's multinational Flight Training Europe (NFTE) initiative. It facilitates all aircrew training and will be extended to cover training for drone operators. At the Forum, Finland, France and Sweden joined the seventeen other NFTE members. Through the initiative, participating Allies are granted access to the NFTE sixteen flight centres established across eight countries.
NATO's Supply and Procurement Agency (NSPA) also awarded a contract in the hundreds of millions of dollars to procure surveillance drones for Allies.
Drones have fundamentally altered the character of modern warfare and become a decisive factor on the battlefield. Effective defence relies on the ability to rapidly detect, identify, and neutralise drones. These initiatives will be essential to increase both Alliance readiness and resilience.
