EU to use Ukrainian technologies to build "drone wall" on its border – FT
Drone Industry
The EU is preparing to spend billions on a "drone wall" along its eastern border after recent Russian airspace violations in Poland and Romania, building on technologies tested by Ukraine.
Brussels is now encouraging capitals to use EU funds and jointly purchase systems already operating on the Ukrainian front, the Financial Times reports.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called for a "European capability" deployed and sustained jointly in real time. A "drone alliance" with Ukraine is being launched, with €6 billion in funding to turn Ukrainian innovations into joint production.
Poland, the Baltic states and Finland are reinforcing their borders, but the EU is pushing for standardization and full integration of technologies to close gaps in defense.
An EU official told the outlet that "Europe’s defense forces are far too fragmented, yet this is precisely the area where we need much more coordination. We cannot have one state doing one thing on its border and another doing something else… Russia will simply adapt its approach to our weak spots."
In addition, NATO’s eastern flank is deploying the Eastern Sentry air-defense mission with aircraft, ships, and intelligence systems.
Ukraine’s experience offers cheaper responses to low-cost "Shahed" drones: networks of acoustic sensors and mobile fire teams. Kyiv has proposed training for Poland; Lithuania and Latvia are implementing similar approaches; Romania is exploring integration.
Overall, countries on NATO’s eastern flank could receive about €100 billion in defense loans from a joint €150 billion pool. The European Commission notes that these funds will help make the "drone wall" a success if EU members act in concert. Analysts and defense companies stress the need for rapid deployment of cheaper, iterative countermeasures.
Earlier reports said that during the latest attack on the Trypilska TPP, 19 "Shaheds" were recorded hitting the site, effectively nullifying a year of restoration work at the power plant.
