Ukraine offers EU an anti-drone defense service

Europe faces a new challenge — a surge in drone-related incidents that have disrupted airports and posed risks to military facilities. Ukraine has offered its Western partners a ready-made solution: a "drone wall."

This was reported by Anatolii Amelin, Deputy Head of the National Association of Defense Companies, in a column for Novyny.LIVE.

EU airports halt operations amid drone threats

Europe is experiencing a drone crisis that has exposed the limits of traditional security measures. Over the past months, several incidents have affected transport and military hubs. On September 22–23, Copenhagen and Oslo airports were forced to suspend operations for four and three hours respectively, rerouting flights. Munich shut down twice on October 3 and 4, affecting over 6,500 passengers and canceling 17 flights. On November 4, Brussels and Liège briefly halted services, and Brussels Airlines canceled 15 flights.

At Belgium’s Kleine-Brogel airbase, which stores 10–15 US B61 nuclear bombs, drones were detected in what the Belgian defense minister described as a likely reconnaissance attempt.

"Instead of a magic button, what’s needed is a multi-layered architecture: passive radiofrequency analytics, optical confirmation, electronic countermeasures, kinetic interception, and — where appropriate — directed energy systems. All of this must operate under a unified C2 system with transparent protocols and clearly defined roles," Amelin emphasized.

What is the European drone wall and how to build it

The European Drone Wall is an integrated network for detecting, classifying, and neutralizing drones along transport corridors and critical infrastructure. Its foundation lies in the C-UAS contour, integrated into the broader C4ISR architecture. For the EU, this means not only technology but also shared data standards, interfaces, and personnel training.

Why Ukraine’s model stands out

• Combat validation: Ukrainian systems have been tested under real wartime pressure — in drone swarms and electronic jamming — with proven effectiveness.
• Scale and speed: Full defense contours can be deployed within weeks, with algorithms updated remotely.
• Integration over isolation: Sensors, optics, EW tools, kinetic, and directed-energy weapons operate under a unified C2 structure with real-time analytics.
• Transparent economics: The model factors in total ownership cost, downtime, and interception efficiency.
• EU compatibility: Data are shared in standardized formats with national SOC/NOC centers.
• Knowledge transfer: Ukrainian SOPs, simulators, and training programs enhance EU readiness.

From C-UAS Products to Security-as-a-Service

Ukraine is transitioning from selling standalone anti-drone systems (C-UAS) to offering "security-as-a-service" — a full-scope model that includes threat audits, sensor installation, EW integration, training, and operational support. The approach emphasizes measurable results such as detection time, interception probability, and false-alarm rates.

In 2024, Ukraine produced over 1 million drones, with projections of up to 4.5 million in 2025. The wartime drone ecosystem has expanded from 7 to over 500 companies specializing in EW, autonomous control, and AI. Dozens of automated detection and suppression networks are already active near Kharkiv and in southern regions. In the first ten months of 2025, there were over 8,000 recorded attacks and 40,000 trained drone operators.

Meanwhile, the export sector is growing: Ukrspecsystems opened a plant in Mildenhall, UK, targeting 2,000 drones per month with a $267 million investment. Ukrainian instructors are training EU specialists after airport incidents in Denmark. The ecosystem includes Bullet, Degree-Trans, UkrJet, Terminal Autonomy, Tencore, Sine Engineering, and Vyriy, which in 2025 produced its first 1,000 fully localized drones.

The global C-UAS market is also expanding — DroneShield, Zen Technologies, Sentrycs, Allen Control Systems, and Rheinmetall have launched new programs and partnerships with Ukraine. Rheinmetall plans first deliveries of Skyranger 35 systems by late 2025.

"Public data show that in 2024–2025, about $2.5 billion in state contracts were signed with 76 companies, expected 2025 export revenues at $10–30 billion, and a 350% sector growth since 2022 — with around 60% localization and 97% of producers export-ready," Amelin noted.

How Ukraine can anchor the European drone wall standard

Amelin emphasized the need for open pilot projects, public performance metrics, localized EU services, and joint training. Deployment should proceed on four levels:

• national — early warning systems and policy frameworks;
• regional — personnel training and exercises;
• site-specific — turnkey protection for airports, ports, and energy facilities;
• operational — continuous support, updates, and incident response.

This approach aligns with NATO’s Eastern Sentry initiative, which integrates C-UAS monitoring across the alliance’s eastern flank and opens the door for Ukrainian participation.

"When a client sees a predictable interception economy, unified protocols, and trained teams, the architecture becomes a standard — not just a one-time purchase. Ukraine is the architect of the European Drone Wall if we act now," Amelin concluded.

Read more:

AFU to help EU build "drone wall"

Bendett on new combat rules — why NATO needs Ukraine’s drones

New war realities — how Ukraine is shaping global defense