The European Commission has opened applications for a new EU-Ukraine Drone Alliance, a major push to strengthen Europe’s defenses against unmanned aerial threats following repeated airspace violations across the bloc.
The move comes after repeated violations of EU airspace by drones, which Brussels says have exposed the urgent need for a “flexible, agile and state-of-the-art” European capability to detect and counter unmanned aerial threats.
The initiative was published by the European Commission Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space as part of its official defense policy communications and action plans on drone security.
Drones and counter-drone systems are now among the EU’s top defense priorities under the “Defence Readiness Roadmap 2030,” which calls for faster, coordinated development of European capabilities in response to growing security risks.
The Commission says the alliance will support this effort by bringing together manufacturers, startups, innovators, and military end users from the EU, the European Economic Area, the European Free Trade Association, and Ukraine.
It will operate as an industry-led platform and work alongside existing EU member state initiatives to deliver concrete drone and counter-drone systems.
Brussels is also leaning on Ukraine’s battlefield experience, saying Europe must learn from Ukraine’s ability to rapidly build innovative drone ecosystems that link research, production, and constant technological upgrades.
The Commission says it will intensify support for member states, facilitate cooperation with industry, and deepen coordination with Ukraine.
Founding members will be selected from applicants with proven expertise in drone and counter-drone technologies in the EU and Ukraine. They will form the alliance’s first governing board and set its priorities.