Focus – Drones, radars and artificial intelligence: NATO tests new technologies in Europe

WIESBADEN, 29 September /ATSH-DPA/ – NATO and the US military aim to improve military cooperation in Europe through a large-scale exercise stretching from northern Norway to the Black Sea, a German army official announced today.

Around 2,000 troops from several NATO member states are expected to take part in the annual “Avenger Triad 26” exercise, which will run from 6 to 15 October.

Major General Bjorn Schulz of the German Armed Forces said this would not be an ordinary field exercise.

The armies will rely primarily on computer simulations and artificial intelligence to test how the militaries of different NATO countries can cooperate faster and better in the event of an attack.

Advanced technologies and real-time communication via mobile devices will enable military forces to have constantly updated information on what is happening on the battlefield.

The exercise is part of the Eastern Flank Deterrence Initiative (EFDI), launched about two years ago to improve cooperation and strengthen the military capabilities of NATO countries along the Alliance’s eastern flank, near strategically important areas such as the border with Russia.

Lessons from Ukraine

Major Ben Schiff of the US Army said Western militaries are drawing lessons from the war in Ukraine, which has rapidly advanced the use of military drones since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion.

Under the EFDI, reconnaissance drones, ground sensors, radars, cameras and weapons systems can be linked into a single network.

This means these devices and systems can exchange information within seconds.

According to Schiff, the network is open to all NATO partner countries.