Ukrainian drone operators bring frontline lessons to Sweden's largest military exercise
AI Analysis
Exercise Aurora 26, Sweden's largest military exercise, is incorporating Ukrainian drone operators to expose NATO troops to realistic, frontline drone warfare tactics. The exercise deliberately fields some units without counter-UAS technology to assess vulnerabilities and improve response capabilities. Sweden's recent NATO membership and increased interoperability are key drivers for this training.
Key Takeaways
- Ukrainian drone operators are training NATO troops in reconnaissance and attack drone tactics mirroring those used in the Russia-Ukraine war.
- Exercise Aurora 26 involves over 18,000 troops from 13 countries, including Sweden, the Netherlands, and Latvia.
- FPV drones with training bombs are being used against Swedish Leopard 2 tanks, CV90 IFVs, and dismounted infantry.
- Some units are intentionally operating without dedicated counter-UAS systems to evaluate the impact of drone threats.
- Sweden is accelerating its integration into NATO and focusing on achieving full interoperability with allied forces.
Why It Matters
This exercise highlights the critical need for NATO to adapt to the evolving threat posed by drones on the modern battlefield. The direct input from Ukrainian operators provides invaluable, real-world insights into effective drone tactics and counter-drone strategies. This training is crucial for enhancing the survivability of armored and infantry units in a contested environment.
Ukrainian drone operators bring frontline lessons to Sweden's largest military exercise
Exercise Aurora: Ukrainian drone operators test Nato troops with battlefield tactics
Ukrainian drone operators with frontline experience are using wartime tactics to test Nato troops during a major exercise in Sweden.
Exercise Aurora is an annual Swedish-led exercise that this year involves more than 18,000 troops from 13 countries.
Working with Swedish Army drone operators, the Ukrainian personnel are using reconnaissance and attack drones to test how tanks, infantry fighting vehicles and dismounted troops cope with threats from above.
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Some troops are deliberately being fielded without anti-drone technology to assess the impact of drone warfare on armoured and infantry units.
A Swedish soldier in camouflage face paint during Exercise Aurora 26 (Picture: Nato)
Footage from the exercise shows Ukrainian and Swedish drone operators preparing FPV drones and attaching training bombs, while Swedish CV90 infantry fighting vehicles move through the training area before troops spot a drone overhead and open fire during a simulated battle.
Swedish Leopard 2 tanks and CV90 infantry fighting vehicles are also training alongside Royal Netherlands Army Apache attack helicopters.
A Swedish Leopard 2 tank moves through the training area during Exercise Aurora 26, where Ukrainian drone operators are helping test Nato forces from the air (Picture: Nato)
Sweden officially joined Nato in March 2024, becoming its 32nd member.
"Living in this kind of world we are today, I feel very, very safe and great that Finland and Sweden joined Nato two years ago," said Admiral Ewa Skoog Haslum, Chief of Joint Operations, Swedish Armed Forces.
"I think that will serve us very very well," she added.
The admiral also said Sweden was now moving faster towards fully interoperable forces.
"I think the speed, the pace has really increased," she said. "There are differences that we are not sitting, viewing the game, we are actually part of it."
Reconnaissance and attack drones are being used on Exercise Aurora 26 to expose troops to battlefield tactics now central to the war in Ukraine (Picture: Nato)
A Swedish mechanised infantry battalion will also travel to Latvia during the exercise to train alongside Nato's multinational brigade.
For Sweden, Exercise Aurora 26 is a test of how the country would defend its own territory while supporting the wider alliance.
For Nato troops, the Ukrainian drone teams bring an immediate lesson from the battlefield on how armoured vehicles and infantry now have to fight under constant threat from the air.
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