United to win: Ukraine joins NATO in anti-drone exercises for the first time

In the Netherlands, NATO conducts annual exercises until September 20. These exercises involve testing the latest systems for countering unmanned aerial vehicles. This year marks the first time that representatives from Ukraine have participated in these exercises.

European Pravda reports this with reference to NATO's press service.

As noted, more than 450 specialists from 19 NATO member countries and three partner countries are participating in the C-UAS TIE exercises.

During the events, more than 60 systems and technologies that help fight drones were tested, including:

• various sensors,
• drone guidance systems for other drones,
• mufflers,
• cyber interceptors.

As noted in the Alliance, all these systems were tested in conditions close to combat.

They also added that Ukraine's participation in the exercises is an integral part of the Roadmap for innovative cooperation between Ukraine and NATO, approved at the summit in Washington in July 2024.

"Exercises such as C-UAS TIE provide a unique opportunity to jointly solve urgent problems such as the autonomy and interoperability of drones, as well as to study the combat experience of Ukraine in the fight against small unmanned aerial vehicles," the message emphasized.

According to NATO, these exercises offer a unique opportunity to collaborate and create effective drone autonomy and interoperability solutions. Incorporating anti-drone technologies into NATO's air and missile defense system is crucial in enhancing the Alliance's defense capabilities and deterrence.

It should be noted that the Alliance's exercises are taking place against the background of several incidents involving the penetration of Russian drones into the airspace of its member states.

Thus, at least one Russian Shahed drone fell in Romania at the border area with Ukraine at the beginning of September. Also, a combat drone was discovered in Latvia, where, according to preliminary data, it had flown from Belarus.

For reference:

As reported, on the night of September 5, the Belarusian military raised fighter jets in the air to shoot down several Shahed UAVs that entered the territory of the Gomel region of Belarus from the Ukrainian Chernihiv region.

It is worth mentioning that on the evening of September 7, the Russian military deployed 67 attack drones over Ukraine. Out of these, 58 Shahed drones were successfully taken down by anti-aircraft defense. Three additional drones were lost during the mission. Six drones managed to make their way to Russia, Belarus, and the temporarily occupied region of Luhansk.

It should be added that the defense ministers of Romania, Poland, and Latvia called on the Allies the day before to immediately implement the NATO air defense rotation model and strengthen NATO's deterrence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and air patrol activities on the eastern flank of the alliance.