Within NATO, it is believed that military forces need to adapt to these realities in the coming years.
NATO is preparing for new wars / © Unsplash
The North Atlantic Alliance is gearing up for future conflicts where drone swarms, capable of operating under the coordination of a unified artificial intelligence system, will be a key element.
This is reported by The Times, citing a statement from Major General Adrian Challoner, representative of NATO’s Strategic Command for Transformation in Europe.
According to the military official, the next step in the development of drone technology will be large-scale swarm operations, during which thousands of drones will function as a single system controlled by one operator or a so-called “mother” drone.
Challoner emphasized that robotic systems operating on land, at sea, and in the air are already transforming traditional approaches to warfare. Such technologies combine high precision with mass deployment, and countries lacking access to them risk facing a choice between joining defense alliances or conceding to aggressors.
The Major General voiced his assessments after a visit to Ukraine. He noted that drone technology is already significantly influencing the course of combat operations, disrupting logistics, and causing substantial losses on the front lines.
He stated that Ukrainian forces are already testing early AI-controlled drone swarm systems capable of targeting objectives under the command of a single operator. However, the scale of deployment for such developments remains limited at present.
The NATO representative also suggested that in the future, the potential of drone swarms as a deterrent could approach the level of nuclear weapons.
Separately, Challoner highlighted the issue of Western arms procurement mechanisms lagging behind the pace of modern military technology development. In his opinion, bureaucratic procedures hinder the rapid implementation of new solutions, while the technological revolution is advancing much faster.
To bridge this gap, the general urged Western countries to reform their procurement systems, following Ukraine’s example. He believes the Alliance should more actively stimulate competition among manufacturers, establish military laboratories, and grant combat units greater autonomy in testing and acquiring new drone systems.
As an example, Challoner cited Ukraine’s defense sector, where hundreds of companies are engaged in developing drones, electronic warfare systems, and other modern means of warfare.
In conclusion, the Major General stated that in the current conditions, no army can operate effectively on the battlefield without modern counter-drone capabilities. Simultaneously, he cautioned that the continued advancement of autonomous systems could either contribute to strengthening peace or create new threats to global security.
Earlier, it was reported that Honduras is considering the purchase of Ukrainian drones to combat drug trafficking and enhance border control.
We previously informed that Russian officials are lamenting an unprecedented wave of UAVs that flew towards Moscow last week.
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