NATO launches online catalogue of anti-drone systems for allies
The alliance has set up a pre-vetted online marketplace for anti-drone technology, cutting procurement delays of up to a year, a NATO official said.
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NATO has launched an online catalogue that lets member states' defence ministries buy or lease pre-vetted anti-drone technology within days, cutting procurement timelines that normally take nine to 12 months, Claudio Palestini, the alliance's head of innovation and technology adoption for defence investment, told La Vanguardia.
The platform offers radars, cameras and electromagnetic sensors to detect and track drones, electronic jamming systems to disrupt their communications, , and systems fitted with machine guns or small missiles, according to the newspaper. Prices for the listed systems range from 1.6 million to 25 million euros per unit.
Palestini said the competitive tendering for the listed systems had already been completed, so allies can order equipment knowing its specifications, delivery times and prices in advance, rather than running a fresh procurement process for each purchase.
The catalogue is part of NATO's Drone Edge programme, unveiled at the alliance's summit in Ankara, where members committed to invest more than 40 billion dollars jointly in anti-drone capabilities over the next five years.
NATO fighter jets were scrambled this month to respond to drones spotted over Latvia and Romania, La Vanguardia reported. Palestini said the alliance had initially designed the catalogue for armed forces but had seen growing interest from police forces seeking to protect civilian sites such as airports and energy infrastructure.
NATO had been planning the catalogue for some time, but the project was accelerated because of recent incidents on the alliance's and in several member states' capitals, the organisation said.
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What we know
- 1 outlet · La Vanguardia NATO has launched an online catalogue letting allies buy or lease pre-vetted anti-drone systems within days, instead of the usual nine-to-12-month procurement process, a NATO official told La Vanguardia.
- 2+ outlets · La Vanguardia, La Razón The catalogue offers radars, sensors, jamming systems, interceptor drones and armed anti-drone systems priced from 1.6 million to 25 million euros per unit.
- 2+ outlets · La Vanguardia, La Razón The initiative is part of NATO's Drone Edge programme, under which allies pledged to invest more than 40 billion dollars jointly in anti-drone capabilities over five years.
- 1 outlet · La Vanguardia NATO jets were scrambled this month over drones spotted in Latvia and Romania, La Vanguardia reported.
Not yet confirmed
- Unconfirmed A second outlet, La Razón, described the platform as an online "store" for anti-drone weapons; this framing has not been corroborated by other reporting.
How each fact is established: Verified checked by an ECTV editorOfficial stated by an official body2+ outlets reported independently by two or more news organisations1 outlet reported by a single news organisation so farUnconfirmed claimed or reportedHow we label facts
Why it matters for Europe
The initiative follows a rise in drone incursions into NATO airspace and attacks on European infrastructure, starting with airports, which have unsettled several member states this year. Faster procurement is meant to let allies respond more quickly to such incidents instead of waiting months for new equipment to clear national defence contracting processes.
Sources
Reported by 2 reports from 2 independent outlets in 1 countries.
Source balance
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Questions and answers
- What has NATO launched?
- An online catalogue that lets member states buy or lease pre-vetted anti-drone technology within days, rather than the nine to 12 months a normal procurement process can take.
- What technology is available?
- Radars, cameras and electromagnetic sensors to detect drones, jamming systems, interceptor drones, and systems armed with machine guns or small missiles, priced from 1.6 million to 25 million euros per unit.
- Why is NATO doing this now?
- To speed up allies' response to a rise in drone incursions and hybrid attacks on airports and other infrastructure; NATO jets were scrambled this month over drones spotted in Latvia and Romania.
This article was written with AI assistance from 2 verified reports and checked under the ECTV editorial policy. Spotted an error? Request a correction.