Drones and artificial intelligence in the new NATO strategy

The strategy specifies detailed actions of the Alliance in the event of a Russian invasion of NATO territory. It was developed by the Supreme Commander of NATO Allied Forces in Europe, General Aleksus Grinkiewicz.

One of the main changes in NATO's approach concerns the use of new technologies. The Alliance plans to combine traditional weapons and military units with solutions whose development was significantly accelerated by the war in Ukraine. This mainly concerns self-controlled drones and target acquisition means using artificial intelligence.

In the event of a Russian attack, NATO plans to first deter the invasion using ground forces and other resources under the "NATO Eastern Wing Containment Initiative." Then it will focus on destroying the command systems of the Russian army - this will quickly weaken its ability to fight and, consequently, lead to the defeat of the Russian forces.

Stop Russia before the war breaks out

The new strategy emphasizes the defensive nature of NATO and assumes avoiding actions that could unnecessarily lead to the escalation of the conflict.

The document also points to the need to jointly counteract hybrid threats aimed at Alliance countries. These are actions that do not yet mean an open war, but may seriously threaten the security of NATO countries.

Deterrence is a key element of the strategy. The Alliance wants to show that it is ready to defend itself and that a potential opponent will not be able to defeat it.

Grinkiewicz's spokesman, Colonel Martin O'Donnell, did not reveal the details of the document, but emphasized that "The theory of victory of the Supreme Commander of the NATO Armed Forces in Europe is simple: maintain NATO's advantage."

As O'Donnell added, due to the unstable situation in the world, the Alliance must now create conditions to stop aggression and be ready to win in the event of an attack.

How did the war in Ukraine affect NATO's plans?

NATO wants to make wider use of not only drones on the battlefield, but also automated systems and artificial intelligence. The document is also intended to encourage NATO countries to further increase defense spending and prepare for the possibility of conflict.

European allies have already increased defense spending. However, there is an ongoing discussion in NATO countries about how to best use this money. This includes: about finding the right balance between traditional weapons, such as tanks, and new technologies that have proven their worth during the war in Ukraine.