EU Races to Build 'Drone Wall' Amidst Rising Eastern Border Tensions

EU Races to Build 'Drone Wall'

In the wake of recent Russian incursions into NATO airspace, the European Union (EU) is urgently moving to allocate billions of euros towards establishing a so-called 'drone wall.' This wall aims to enhance security along its eastern border by leveraging technologies tested and developed in the crucible of the conflict in Ukraine.

The reactions from Poland and Romania after Russian drones entered their airspace highlighted NATO's current reliance on expensive technologies to intercept relatively cheap drones as a perceived weakness that Moscow could further exploit. Consequently, the EU is taking steps to fortify its defenses.

Responding to this security gap, Brussels has encouraged member states to utilize available EU funding to procure tried-and-tested systems that have proven successful in Ukraine. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that just hours after NATO fighter jets shot down a few of approximately 19 drones that entered Polish airspace, Europe must build a 'drone wall' along its eastern borders. She clarified that this wall would be “a jointly developed, jointly deployed, jointly maintained European capability able to respond in real time.”

Furthermore, von der Leyen announced that the EU would establish a “drone coalition” with Kyiv, backed by €6 billion in funding, with the goal of “turning Ukrainian ingenuity into a battlefield advantage and joint industrialisation.”

Coordination Challenges and Potential Solutions

EU member states bordering Russia, including Poland, the Baltic nations, and Finland, have announced plans to reinforce their borders. However, officials warn that this approach will only be effective if it is unified and based on common and fully integrated technologies.

An EU official noted that “Europe’s defense posture is too fragmented, but in this particular area, we really need to see more coordination. You can’t have one (frontline) country doing one thing on their border while another does something different. Russia will simply adapt methods based on our weaknesses.”

NATO's eastern flank members will receive nearly €100 billion in defense-related loans, drawn from a total of €150 billion raised by pledging the EU's joint budget. European Commission spokesperson, Thomas Regnier, stated on Tuesday that the “Security Action for Europe” loans “would be helpful to the drone wall initiative” if member states wish to take a common approach to protect the EU.

Daniela Hildenbrand, Head of Anti-Drone Solutions at German defense contractor Hensoldt, reported that the EU is “becoming more creative on contract arrangements to ensure we build an overall protection shield for Europe and NATO.”

'Eastern Sentry' Mission and Readiness Challenges

Concurrently, to address gaps, NATO has launched an air defense mission called 'Eastern Sentry,' which involves deploying fighter jets, ships, and reconnaissance systems along the eastern flank, from Finland to Bulgaria.

“We are not ready yet,” said Max Enders, Head of Business Development at Munich-based startup Tytan, which produces drone interceptors used on the front lines in Ukraine. He added, “There is a whole class of threats that Europe is currently struggling to defend against.”

Enders described the conflict with Russia as an “iterative war,” with both sides refining their unmanned aerial vehicles and the interceptors capable of downing them.

Ukrainian Innovations in Air Defense

Since the outbreak of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict in 2022, Ukraine has been innovative in the realm of air defense. While Kyiv relies on Western partners to provide air defense systems to shoot down missiles, it has pioneered cost-effective methods of dealing with Russian attack drones.

As standard radars are unable to detect small, low-flying Shahed attack drones, Ukrainian tech companies have developed a system of acoustic sensors that can identify them by their sound signature. The detected intelligence is then relayed to hundreds of mobile teams equipped with anti-aircraft guns and heavy machine guns, a far cheaper solution than using interceptor missiles.

Ukrainian President Zelenskyy offered Poland training last week on how to combat Russian drones, particularly Iranian-made Shahed drones. The Polish Defense Ministry stated that “in-depth discussions are being held between experts from both countries on deepening cooperation in the field of drones and anti-drone systems.”

Lithuanian Deputy Defense Minister Karolis Aleksa stated that the Baltic nation is following Ukraine's lead by using mobile combat teams to shoot down drones detected by acoustic detection systems.

He stated, “Using expensive weapons like fighter jets and missiles is too costly. That is why we are pushing for cheaper and smarter solutions.” Latvia is implementing a similar acoustic system, while Romania is exploring how to incorporate Ukrainian experience into its security spending.

“The whole concept of drone warfare has changed the nature of modern armed conflict,” said Finnish Defense Minister General Markku Viitasaari. He added, “There is a real need to develop new countermeasures, especially against unmanned systems. Some options already exist and are being used, but new technologies and approaches are needed.”