10 August 2020
A number of NATO member states in Eastern Europe - namely Romania, Poland and the Czech Republic - are acquiring a variety of drones with the aim of stepping up border surveillance activities, amongst other things.
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According to an article in Defense News, Romania, Poland and the Czech Republic are all planning to invest in drones for border surveillance and other purposes.
Romania is reportedly aiming to increase surveillance in the Black Sea region in response to "militarization of the region by Russia". The military's bid to acquire drones follows a failed attempt in 2018. Israeli companies are particularly interested, according to the report.
In Poland, the defence ministry is set to purchase twelve mid-range UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles), "several MALE combat-reconnaisance UAVs" (MALE is short for Medium Altitude Long Endurance) and "vertical takeoff and landing, short-range UAVs for the Navy".
Defense News also reports that the Czech Republic is planning to acquire drones for its military, and that last November the president "spurred controversy when he called on the government to buy Israeli UAVs for the armed forces."
Source: Eastern European NATO allies ramp up drone buys to protect their borders (Defense News, link)
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