European Nations Pursue Joint Drone Development and Heavy Armor Procurement
European governments are promoting collaboration between their defense industries and Ukrainian companies for the development and production of unmanned systems. Concurrently, officials emphasized the need to maintain a supply of tanks and armored vehicles to defend NATO's eastern flank. The Netherlands is actively training with Ukrainian forces on drone technology and investing in its domestic defense sector. Lithuania's planned acquisition of armored personnel carriers from Patria of Finland exemplifies allied cooperation on land forces' major purchases, with intentions to involve domestic firms in R&D.
Why it matters
This highlights a dual strategy of advancing drone technology while ensuring conventional land force capabilities for collective defense.
Source: Defense News — read the original
Source published 14 Oct 2026, 17:57 UTC