NATO Ignored Drone Threat, Now Scrambling to Learn New War: Admiral - Business Insider
AI Analysis
NATO has been criticized for previously overlooking the threat posed by inexpensive strike drones, which have been used effectively by Russia and Iran. The alliance is now learning from Ukraine's experiences to adapt to modern combat tactics involving loitering munitions.
Key Takeaways
- NATO previously underestimated the threat of cheap strike drones.
- Iranian-designed Shahed drones are used extensively in conflict zones.
- Ukraine's experience is pivotal for NATO's adaptation to drone warfare.
- Loitering munitions are being used for cost-effective large-scale strikes.
- NATO is focusing on modernization to counter drone threats.
Why It Matters
The strategic oversight by NATO highlights a significant gap in air defense preparedness against modern drone warfare tactics. Learning from Ukraine's experience is crucial for NATO to develop effective counter-UAS strategies and ensure the security of critical infrastructure against low-cost, high-impact drone threats.
NATO Ignored Drone Threat, Now Scrambling to Learn New War: Admiral - Business Insider
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Iranian-designed Shahed drones have been used extensively in the Middle East and Ukraine in recent years. Sergei SUPINSKY/AFP via Getty Images
2026-04-08T10:17:01.234Z
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Cheap strike drones have been used to attack critical infrastructure around the world for years.
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But NATO did little to address the threat, a top commander said.
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Now, the Western military alliance is learning new ways of warfighting from Ukraine.
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What lessons has NATO learned from Ukraine?
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What is JATEC's role in NATO strategy?
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How do Shahed drones impact global security?
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How are cheap drones changing warfare?
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Why is Ukraine's expertise crucial for NATO?
Before the US conflict with Iran and Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, cheap strike drones were used to attack energy targets in the Middle East, setting the stage for a new type of warfare.
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NATO, however, ignored the warning signs, a top alliance commander told Business Insider. Now, it's scrambling to catch up to rapidly changing modern combat tactics.
Inexpensive loitering munitions — or one-way attack drones — are being used in large-scale strikes at low cost by Russia against Ukraine and Iran against the US and its allies in the Middle East. NATO is only just starting to wake up to the threat.
Adm. Pierre Vandier, Supreme Allied Commander Transformation of NATO, who oversees modernization efforts, recalled in a re