KYIV, 17 September, (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – NATO readiness is facing fresh scrutiny as Ukraine’s experience fighting Russia highlights how rapidly drones, electronic warfare and other battlefield technologies can change modern combat, raising questions over whether alliance forces and procurement systems can adapt quickly enough.
Ukraine War Changes Modern Battlefield Conditions
More than four years of full-scale war in Ukraine have provided NATO countries with extensive evidence about the changing nature of high-intensity warfare.
Drones are now routinely used for reconnaissance, targeting and attacks. Electronic warfare can disrupt communications and navigation, while relatively inexpensive unmanned aircraft can threaten equipment costing significantly more.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said in July that drones had “fundamentally altered” the character of modern warfare and had become a decisive factor on the battlefield.
The changes create a challenge for conventional armed forces. Military equipment must not only be available in sufficient quantities but also capable of being adapted as opponents change their tactics and technology.
NATO Expands Drone and Counter-Drone Capabilities
NATO has moved to strengthen its ability to operate drones and defend against them.
At the NATO Summit Defence Industry Forum in Ankara in July, allies announced plans to invest more than $40 billion in counter-drone capabilities over five years. They also committed to training five times as many military drone operators by the end of 2027.
The alliance is establishing a counter-drone marketplace designed to make NATO-tested and compatible systems available more quickly. NATO’s multinational Flight Training Europe programme is also being expanded to support drone-operator training.
These measures reflect the growing importance of unmanned systems in NATO’s defence planning.
Ukraine Provides Lessons for NATO Forces
Ukraine’s battlefield experience is increasingly being incorporated into NATO planning and training.
In January, Rutte told the European Parliament’s Committee on Security and Defence that NATO needed to capture lessons from the war. He noted that any future conflict involving the alliance would not necessarily replicate the fighting in Ukraine.
NATO and Ukraine are using the Joint Analysis, Training and Education Centre in Poland to examine those lessons.
Rutte has also described Ukraine’s experience with drones and counter-drone technology as particularly important for the alliance.
Defence Production Remains a NATO Priority
Weapons production is another central part of the readiness debate.
NATO says European allies and Canada substantially increased defence expenditure in 2025, while billions of dollars have been invested in expanding defence-industrial capacity.
The alliance projects that its annual artillery-shell production capacity could reach about four million rounds in 2027, nearly twice the level recorded in 2025.
Rutte has nevertheless stressed that increased budgets must result in usable military capabilities.
Speaking in June, he said: “when you, all of you, produce more, our deterrence and defence posture is stronger, and we are all safer.”
NATO Readiness Remains Focus of Defence Investment
At the Ankara summit in July, NATO said more than €50 billion in new procurement deals had been announced as governments sought to turn higher defence spending into equipment and industrial production.
The alliance also announced a €27 billion investment intended to modernise fuel storage and distribution infrastructure and support new facilities, including pipelines towards NATO’s eastern members.
Such infrastructure is important because military readiness depends not only on weapons and troops but also on the ability to supply forces during sustained operations.
NATO Continues to Adapt to Ukraine War Lessons
The Ukraine war has not produced a simple answer to whether NATO is prepared for a future conflict. It has instead identified areas where the alliance is increasing investment while adapting its training, procurement and industrial strategy.
NATO is expanding drone capabilities, increasing weapons production and incorporating Ukrainian battlefield experience into military planning.
The next stage will focus on implementation. Alliance governments must turn spending commitments into operational equipment, trained personnel, ammunition stocks and infrastructure while continuing to respond to technologies that are changing rapidly on the battlefield.
