Europe needs to be prepared to build an army of drones to defend itself in the event of a potential Russian attack, which could happen within the next five years. To be able to defend itself, Europe will need millions of drones, and preparations need to start now.
Points of attention
- European Commissioner Andrius Kubilius warns of a potential Russian attack and calls for Europe to prepare a million-strong army of drones for defense.
- Ukraine's successful use of cheap and flexible drone technology in warfare serves as a crucial lesson for NATO and Europe in organizing effective defense strategies against millions of drones.
- In response to the evolving drone warfare landscape, European countries like the UK are shifting focus towards incorporating drones as a key component of their defense doctrine.
Europe needs to create a million-strong army of drones — Kubilius
This was stated by EU Commissioner for Defense and Space Andrius Kubilius.
Russia may have around five million drones, so we need to have capabilities that exceed those numbers to prevail, he stressed in a commentary to Sky News, adding that if Kremlin dictator Vladimir Putin orders an attack on NATO, Europe would face an army that is "battle-tested" and capable of using "millions of drones."
Andrius Kubilius
EU Commissioner for Defence and Space
Kubilius noted that Ukrainians have managed to use cheap and flexible technologies to their advantage.
The media writes that, according to Kyiv's assessment, drone units now account for up to 80% of Russia's losses on the front line.
Kubilius personally visited Ukraine to learn the lessons learned on the battlefield. He soon revealed that there was a section of the front line called the "Valley of Death."
Nothing can move. Everything is controlled by drones. A normal tank lives in this zone for six minutes.
Ukraine is expected to produce over four million drones in 2025 alone. Reflecting on how many drones other countries will need, the commissioner cited his homeland, Lithuania, as an example. It shares a border of about 900 km with Russia and Belarus.
If the Ukrainians need four million for a 1,200 km front, then we will need something like three million drones for one year if war starts, if Day X comes.
Both Russia and Ukraine are reportedly constantly upgrading their drone technology to keep up with the competition. For this reason, Kubilius believes that instead of stockpiling drones that will quickly become obsolete, Europe needs to build teams of pilots, engineers, and manufacturers ready to dramatically scale up production if needed.
Today, there are only two armies on the European continent that have passed combat tests with millions of drones: one is Russian, which is planning new aggressions, the other is Ukrainian. We have a lot to learn from Ukraine: how to organize defense against millions of drones and how to make our defense industry truly innovative.
This view is also shared by business representatives. For example, the German startup Stark is testing loitering munitions — "strike drones" — which it is ready to offer to Ukraine.
They are designed to be easy for soldiers to handle — no tools, just insert the control surfaces,” emphasized Stark Vice President Josef Kranavetvogl, quickly assembling the tail section of the munition.
Not far from the French border, another German startup, Alpine Eagle, is testing interceptor drones for Ukraine. It has a radar on board that can hit enemy drones at a distance of up to 5 km. This could be a turning point in air combat, as such a drone can destroy a target before it gets close.
In my opinion, NATO is completely unprepared for an attack like the one in Ukraine,” said Alpine Eagle CEO Jan-Hendrik Bjolens. “While Ukraine produces millions of drones, one would be surprised if NATO purchased even a thousand in the same period.”
The lessons of Ukraine have prompted alliance members to embrace unmanned technology. The UK is one of the countries that has pledged to make drones the centerpiece of its defense doctrine. Its government recently unveiled a new plan, the 20-40-40, in which drones will be the first wave of attack, followed by tanks, helicopters, and other manned platforms:
20% — traditional heavy systems (tanks, etc.)
40% — disposable drones and ammunition
40% — reusable high-tech drones
It was also confirmed that a further £2 billion will be spent on drones for the army in the current parliamentary cycle. In addition, it is important that the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom announced an agreement with Ukraine to jointly produce drones.
