The Lithuanian Interior Minister announced that NATO countries on the alliance’s eastern edge plan to enhance their defenses against “unfriendly nations” by deploying drones. This strategic shift reflects a broader global interest in rapid drone technology advancements, notably fueled by the ongoing war in Ukraine.
According to Newsweek, Minister Agne Bilotaityte described this as a novel approach, outlining a vision for a drone-operated border from Norway to Poland, aimed at enhancing security with aerial and other technological aids. These drones are expected to augment physical barriers and surveillance systems, providing an additional layer of protection against provocations from unfriendly states and smuggling activities. This initiative reflects NATO’s concern regarding its lengthy borders with Russia and its allies, such as Belarus.
Regional media have highlighted that this “wall” of security will not only monitor but actively counteract unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) by detecting, intercepting, and deploying them. The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has significantly spurred innovations in UAV technology as Moscow and Kyiv strive to outpace each other in this domain.
Estonian Interior Minister Lauri Läänemets emphasized the project’s uniqueness and the critical importance of drone surveillance and interception capabilities as a deterrence measure, especially in countering the influence of Eastern neighbors.
This development comes as the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 has substantially united NATO members, prompting previously neutral countries like Finland and Sweden to join the alliance and prompting Eastern European NATO states to commit to increased defense spending. Ukraine has warned that if its efforts against Russia falter, Eastern European countries might be next on Moscow’s target list.
