The attack of Russian drones against Poland earlier this month opened a strategic vulnerability of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO): The alliance still depends on expensive systems to neutralize cheap and makeshift threats.
The offensive, held with about 19 wood and Styrofoam aircraft valued at $ 10,000 each – according to the American and European press, forced the allies to shoot Patriot missiles of $ 3.5 million and trigger F -35 fighters, which costs flight hours exceed $ 40,000.
Russian action evidenced what analysts call “gap NATO’s ”capabilities”: anti-aircraft systems designed to slaughter state-of-the-art fighters and ballistic missiles are being used to face rudimentary drones, unbalanced the cost-effectiveness of the defense of member countries. New York TimesThis fragility has been explored in a manner calculated by Moscow, which imposes on the alliance millionaire spending on low investment attacks – in a strategy that, according to analysts, may even have a certain exhaustion of NATO resources.
Polish authorities confirmed this assessment by stating that Kremlin’s central goal with last week’s attack was to test the readiness of the alliance and measure the amount of resources that would be employed in the face of a risk situation. European diplomats, heard by Timesthey also framed the offensive in Poland as part of the “hybrid war” led by Moscow.
“Russia tried to test us without starting a war,” he said in an interview with Guardian The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland, Radosław Sikorski.
According to newspaper analysis Politicothe problem is not only in the disproportionate cost of NATO’s response to last week’s attack, but also in the absence of intermediate air defense systems between alliance countries. Today, NATO members depend mainly on state -of -the -art fighters and high -value missiles to contain improvised drones, when the ideal would be to have simpler and cheaper alternatives to combat such types – which would also allow preserving resources to face more intensity raids if they occur.
“We need to equip ourselves better against drones,” he told the Politico Ulrike Franke, a researcher at the European Foreign Council Council. “Send F-16 and F-35 every time [que um país da aliança é atacado por drones baratos] It is not sustainable, ”he added.
NATO’s own summit recognizes that the current air defense strategy against rudimentary drones is unsustainable. At a recent meeting with European Union ambassadors, Alliance Secretary Mark Rutte said that intercept this type of threat with F-35 fighters is “unsustainable,” according to the Politico. A diplomat present at the meeting confirmed to the newspaper that “no one disagreed with this.”
Exercises and new technologies
According to European and American media, NATO has evaluated in recent months cheaper and effective alternatives to face low -cost drones, such as those used by Russia last week. Study options include laser systems, lower value missiles – such as the Nimbrix model, developed by Swedish company Saab – and acoustic sensors similar to those employed by Ukraine to detect sound aircraft.
In addition, this week, NATO started testing with new technologies against Russian drones on military bases of Troia (Portugal) and Den Helder (Netherlands). Alliance forces have experienced air drones and submarines to reinforce surveillance, as well as 3D printed teledirigid vessels, developed in partnership with universities and private companies, which can decrease production cost.
The test occurs amidst new tensions, after drones raids for the temporary closure of airports this week and reach military facilities in Denmark. The Danish government has classified the episodes as “hybrid attacks” and acknowledged that a “professional actor” is behind the actions.
According to Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, the Russian involvement cannot be ruled out in this act, although Moscow denies responsibility.
“Russia will be a threat to Europe and Denmark for years,” said the prime minister.
Rear Admiral Massimiliano Rossi, Chief of Staff of the NATO Special Operations Command, incursions such as Russian drones in Poland, Estonia and Denmark show the need for low cost solutions. He praised 3D printing as an alternative to produce “surface vessels or other equipment at reduced prices, reducing the economic impact.”
These rehearsals were based on the experience of the war in Ukraine, where the use of unmanned drones and vessels developed rapidly. Ukrainian special forces participated in the exercises in the Netherlands.
