NATO Allied Air Command has launched an industry engagement effort to identify new sensing technologies for future air and missile defence, ahead of planned experimentation in Europe.
The initiative, known as Eastern Sentry, is being led in partnership with MIT Lincoln Laboratory and is intended to inform the design of NATO’s next-generation Integrated Air and Missile Defence architecture, the UK Defence Journal understands.
Industry and research organisations based in NATO countries are being invited to submit white papers outlining remote sensing capabilities, with a focus on novel technologies and data fusion approaches. Submissions close on 10 April, after which up to ten organisations will be selected to attend a two-day industry event at Ramstein Air Base in Germany on 20–21 May.
According to NATO, the effort is focused on improving the “fused air picture” in complex environments, particularly through enhanced sensing and integration. The results are expected to feed into future NATO defence planning, including Political Guidance for 2027.
Selected companies will present their systems and take part in further evaluation, with the possibility of participating in field experimentation. Any such trials are expected to take place in Poland and will assess the ability of systems to detect and track threats such as drones and cruise missiles.
To be considered, vendors must demonstrate deployable, real-world capable systems that can provide live data feeds and integrate with NATO networks at appropriate classification levels. Proposals will be assessed on factors including sensor coverage, novelty of sensing modality, and the ease with which data can be integrated into a central fusion node.
NATO has added that the exercise is not a procurement process and does not constitute a commitment to future contracts or funding. Instead, it is intended as a technical exploration of emerging capabilities, aimed at shaping future requirements and architectures.
