NATO launches new counter-UAS marketplace

NATO has launched a new counter-UAS (C-UAS) marketplace with capabilities from five chosen companies, in an effort to accelerate defence procurement.  

The marketplace will specifically enable NATO allies to acquire C-UAS systems without having to release new tenders, an announcement from the alliance on 5 November said.  

The move comes as part of the NATO Drone Edge initiative, which seeks to rapidly produce, operate, and neutralise drones at scale. Another key part of the initiative is a USD40 billion investment into C-UAS capabilities from 2026-31.  

A total of 16 C-UAS capabilities from the five companies will be available on the marketplace and will include both static and mobile systems. All the systems already been deployed in allied countries and Ukraine, NATO says.  

The companies selected for the marketplace include France-based Alta Ares and UK-based OSL UK, both of which are SMEs. US-based defence companies Axon Enterprise and Northrop Grumman, as well as Germany-based scaleup Quantum Systems – considered a defence unicorn due to its value well past EUR1 billion – are the other chosen companies.   

How were the C-UAS capabilities selected?  

NATO says that the C-UAS systems chosen for the marketplace were selected based on “reference scenarios” that evaluated their capacity to protect a high value asset, a specific area, a border, or convoy.  

According to NATO, the framework contracts it has with the selected companies will be valid for 18 months, although there is the possibility these could be extended.  

To keep pace with new C-UAS technologies, NATO also says that it will run “regular” competitions to offer the latest capabilities.