NATO allies have agreed on a new multinational initiative to develop drone-based deep precision strike capabilities, as part of a wider package of cooperative programmes aimed at strengthening deterrence and defence, the alliance stated.
The announcement was made following a signing ceremony at NATO Headquarters, where NATO Deputy Secretary General Radmila Shekerinska welcomed four multinational initiatives intended to support commitments made at the NATO 2025 Summit in The Hague.
Under the new High Visibility Project focused on deep strike, five Allies, Denmark, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland and Turkey, have agreed to collaborate on innovative drone-based precision strike capabilities to meet current and future operational requirements more efficiently. NATO said the initiative will also explore new development and acquisition mechanisms to accelerate adoption and encourage participation from non-traditional defence companies.
In a separate High Visibility Project, seven Allies, Belgium, Denmark, France, the Netherlands, Norway, Turkey and the United Kingdom, have agreed to work together to strengthen defence against ballistic missiles. NATO said the project will focus on the development, acquisition and implementation of capabilities including sensors, interceptors and tactical control systems, complementing existing Allied air and missile defence assets under NATO’s Integrated Air and Missile Defence framework.
NATO also announced a further multinational initiative focused on improving airworthiness resilience during periods of crisis or conflict. Fifteen Allies, Albania, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Sweden and Turkey, have committed to exploring multinational approaches to strengthening air power resilience, readiness and interoperability. NATO said this could include new solutions for aircraft design, modification, maintenance and repair, as well as procedural changes to sustain operations under high demand.
Finally, NATO said Sweden has joined the Air Battle Decisive Munitions (ABDM) High Visibility Project, increasing participation to 17 nations. The ABDM initiative, launched in 2014, is intended to support the acquisition of key air-launched munitions under improved conditions while strengthening interoperability among Allied forces.
