A US expert explained that NATO cannot defend against drones due to technological limitations

NATO is not ready to confront the growing threats associated with Russia’s use of combat drones.

This was stated by former US Assistant Secretary of State Frank Rose in an interview with Daily Express US, in which he critically assessed the current readiness of the Alliance.

Following recent incidents of Russian drones intruding into NATO airspace, Rose noted that the Alliance is still “not ready” for the new counterintelligence tactics employed by Russian President Vladimir Putin — the massive use of drones.

He emphasized that despite the operational actions of Poland and its allies against the attacks, there are serious “problems” with NATO and the US’s preparedness for such challenges.

The US “a step behind”

The expert noted that the US is still “a step behind” in developing technologies that could effectively counter the new military-operational reality.

“This shows that NATO is not ready to confront large-scale drone attacks. They simply do not have this level of capability,” said Rose, who previously participated in the creation of missile defense systems in Poland and Romania.

He added that “the US is stalling, not allocating sufficient funds to address this issue, and not moving fast enough. Drone swarms are radically changing conflicts, and we are not developing the necessary technologies to address new challenges.”

NATO’s vulnerability

Rose pointed to the need for “new technologies” capable of countering drone attacks. He also noted the importance of increasing armaments, including cruise and hypersonic missiles. America’s adversaries are adapting their actions, combining drone attacks with strikes using other types of weapons.

Although NATO has 25 years of experience in the context of missile defense, the “Eastern Sentry” initiative is only capable of limited threats. With the large-scale use of 300-400 drones by Russia, this will become NATO’s “Achilles’ heel.”

Lessons from Ukraine

According to Rose, Ukraine, Israel, and other countries are successfully adapting to the new threat. He mentioned the Patriot and THAAD systems, which have demonstrated high effectiveness, intercepting more than 90% of targets.

However, Rose noted the problem of high costs: a Shahed drone costs $65,000–$100,000, while an interceptor missile can cost from $300,000 to 1 million dollars. He stated the need to develop more affordable technologies, such as microwave weapons or lasers.

“The situation has positive aspects: Ukraine has learned to effectively protect its infrastructure from strikes,” he added. “The United States and NATO should study how Ukrainians have adapted their capabilities in confronting these threats.”

Rose also emphasized that bureaucracy in the US hinders rapid response, while in Ukraine, operational efficiency comes to the forefront. “Ukrainians see threats, apply capabilities, improve them, and continue to develop,” he noted.

Also recalled is the warning from Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schof about the inadmissibility of further Russian intrusions into NATO airspace, stating the possibility of a retaliatory strike.

These statements follow amid disagreements among allies on the issue of a coordinated response to the escalation from Moscow.