The Procurement of Drones: Dominating Europe
Drones have become a common sight in modern conflict, with footage seen of the technology in warzones across the world.
The war in Ukraine has seen the topic of drones become widely discussed across the continent, especially as reports of Russian drones being sighted in Poland and Romania – as well as unidentified drones being tracked in Denmark, Norway and Germany.
These has led to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposing a new defensive radar and interceptor system for the EU's eastern border, a 'drone wall'.
Rather than a physical barrier, the drone wall would consist of multiple layers of detection and interception technology, expanding upon existing anti-drone systems already operated by individual EU member states.
"Europe must deliver a strong and united response to Russia's drone incursions at our borders," she said.
Swift procurement: Lessons from the UK's rapid deployment
With this being discussed, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson urged the EU to streamline drone procurement rules but insisted that individual countries, not the bloc itself, should handle their own anti-drone defences.
At the Copenhagen summit, European leaders rallied behind stronger regional drone defence capabilities following recent incursions that Russia denies orchestrating.
Speaking to Reuters, Ulf Kristersson said: "The EU is not a defence organisation. (...) Every country needs to build up these capabilities, and then we need to cooperate very closely to be able to detect drones."
This need for swifter procurement has been seen in the UK, after the UK Ministry of Defence handed out a contract to Viking Arm to deliver a training fleet of first-person view drones.
This was quick progress, as the procurement cycle was finished in 19 days, providing the British Army with 180 drones, encompassing 5″, 8″ and 10″ models, alongside essential accessories including goggles, antennas and controllers.
Following recommendations set out in the Strategic Defence Review, the UK government is doubling investment in autonomous technology - investing an extra £2bn (US$2.7bn) this Parliament.
Minister for Defence Procurement and Industry, Rt Hon Maria Eagle MP said: "As set out in the Strategic Defence Review, we plan to use drones, data and digital warfare to ensure our Armed Forces stronger and safer, whilst boosting jobs and innovation across the UK.
"This trial is an example of our Government’s new partnership with industry; delivering the cutting-edge technology to our front line troops and making defence an engine for growth, as part of our Plan for Change."
Drone Deals for Europe
A team from Ukraine's Ministry of Defence, mandated by the President of Ukraine, has held talks with the United States on the technical details of the 'Drone Deal'. The main focus of the visit was to discuss procurement of Ukrainian-made drones and their effective use.
Ukraine presented detailed specifications for various drone models, including their capabilities and operating parameters. Discussions took place with officials from every branch of the US military to ensure proposed systems align with American operational requirements.
US officials recognised Ukraine's advanced capabilities in unmanned systems, particularly in aerial, maritime and ground-based platforms. These talks advance preparations for the "Drone Deal" previously announced by President Zelenskyy, which envisions a five-year procurement agreement for Ukrainian-made drones and collaborative manufacturing of select models.
Separately, both countries discussed weapons deliveries through the Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA) mechanism, focusing on 2026 supply schedules and potential increases in shipment quantities. Representatives from both nations characterised these discussions as a significant milestone in expanding defence technology partnerships.
The same can be seen in Switzerland, who is also ramping up its counter-drone capabilities to protect military facilities amid a surge in unmanned aerial vehicle activity across Europe.
Following successful testing conducted during the summer months, Switzerland's armed forces have directed armasuisse, the federal defence procurement agency, to acquire these protective systems, according to government officials.
"Based on these findings and in response to the increasing number of drone sightings," the Army had instructed armasuisse to prioritise procurement of defence systems against micro and mini drones, the government said in a statement.
The vendor ecosystem is fragmented, with thousands of small, specialised providers offering hardware, software and analytics solutions that must be integrated. Finally, many organisations lack the in-house expertise to write accurate specifications or evaluate complex bids, compounding the challenge.
In short, drone procurement is difficult because it combines fast-changing technology, complex regulation and strategic risk – demanding a new level of technical knowledge, supplier governance and long-term thinking from procurement teams.
As drones reshape modern defence and security strategies, the ability to procure them efficiently and responsibly has become a measure of national readiness. Europe's challenge is not only to defend its skies but to modernise the systems that enable that defence – from streamlined procurement to secure, interoperable supply chains.
The future of airspace security will belong to those who can balance speed, sovereignty and strategy in drone acquisition – and turn technology into true capability.
