Ukraine joins NATO counter-drone exercise for first time
From 10 to 20 September 2024, Ukraine participated in NATO’s annual Counter-Unmanned Aircraft System (C-UAS) Technical Interoperability Exercise (TIE) for the first time.
Held in the Netherlands, the exercise brought together over 450 participants from 19 NATO Allies and three partner nations, alongside members of the private sector and research community.
The exercise tested more than 60 commercially available counter-drone systems, including sensors, jammers, cyber interceptors, and drone-on-drone technologies, in live simulations.
The aim was to evaluate their ability to operate seamlessly together, enhancing NATO’s capabilities to defend against unmanned aerial threats.
Ukraine’s participation in this exercise marks a significant step in its ongoing cooperation with NATO, following the endorsement of the NATO-Ukraine Innovation Cooperation Roadmap at the Washington Summit.
NATO highlighted the importance of integrating these counter-drone technologies into its broader Integrated Air and Missile Defence (IAMD) framework, particularly in response to lessons learned from Ukraine’s battlefield experience with small drones.
At the Washington Summit, NATO committed to strengthening the readiness, responsiveness, and integration of its IAMD systems, while also supporting the development of a dedicated air and missile defence architecture for Ukraine.
This exercise is a key part of that effort, showcasing NATO’s enhanced deterrence and defence posture as Allies and partners work together to address modern battlefield challenges.
