Ukraine outpaces NATO with rapid, low-cost drone defenses — Politico
AFU is preparing AN/TWQ-1 Avenger self-propelled surface-to-air missile system at combat shifts amid ongoing hostilities (Photo: REUTERS/Anna Voitenko)
Ukraine demonstrates an effective drone defense, producing thousands of low-cost interceptors and eliminating 80–90% of enemy UAVs, therefore far outpacing NATO, Politico wrote on Sept. 12.
The recent drone incursion over Poland exposed NATO’s unpreparedness for low-cost aerial threats after cheap Russian drones made of wood and styrofoam violated Polish airspace On Sept. 10, and were shot down with multi-million-dollar weapons systems, revealing how unfit NATO is to handle these low-tech but effective threats.
At least 19 drones flew over Poland that day, which experts described to Politico as a “political and military test” by Russia. Poland managed to detect and shoot down some of them — but not all.
“The NATO action was far less effective than Ukraine’s typical response," Ulrike Franke, senior fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, said.
"The alliance shot down about three drones while Kyiv usually claims an 80 percent to 90 percent interception rate — despite facing much larger attacks.”
She pointed out the disproportion between Russia’s cheap drones and NATO’s expensive responses.
“What are we going to do, send F-16s and F-35s every time?" she asked rhetorically.
"It's not sustainable. We need to better equip ourselves with anti-drone systems.”
NATO scrambles to respond with billion-dollar gear
The threat was real, Politico stressed: five drones flew directly toward a NATO base before being intercepted by Dutch F-35s. The operation also involved a NATO fuel plane, an Italian reconnaissance plane, and a German Patriot system — all worth billions of dollars, while one Geran-type drone costs just around $10k.
Despite the drones' low cost, the reaction was severe. Poland invoked Article 4 of the NATO treaty, closed its eastern airspace, and requested allied support, including reconnaissance and air defense reinforcements. UK Defense Minister John Healey pledged to consult military officials on how London could help protect Polish airspace. Ukraine also offered assistance.
NATO’s vulnerability to drones has long been recognized as a weak point, Politico noted. EU funding continues to favor expensive systems that are ineffective against cheap UAVs.
In contrast, Ukraine produces its own low-cost interceptors, uses electronic warfare, and destroys hundreds of drones per night. This model doesn’t yet exist in Europe — and NATO cannot realistically launch F-35s for every threat.
Europe tries to catch up — but it’s slow
European companies are trying to adapt to the rapidly evolving drone market. Swedish Saab defense firm is developing a low-cost missile system called Nimbrix, and France has commissioned a laser-based anti-drone demonstrator. However, startups struggle to break into the market due to traditional procurement processes.
The main challenges ahead are:
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the need for layered defense systems that combine electronic and kinetic methods, and
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the fast evolution of drone technology, as both Ukraine and Russia continue racing to improve both strike drones and interceptors.
Ukraine already manufactures thousands of interceptors monthly, destroying the majority of drones in nighttime attacks.
“For some equipment, it may be better to purchase in batches of 10, 15, 20, or maybe 50 units,” said Thierry Burkhard, former Chief of the French Defense Staff.
“It doesn’t matter if the manufacturer can’t maintain it for 20 years — because within a year, it will either be obsolete or dead on the battlefield.”
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