Police patrol close to Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen, Denmark, September 30, 2025, following latest drone disturbances over Denmark and forward of conferences of EU heads of state and goverment in Copenhagen on October 1 and October 2.
Liselotte Sabroe | Afp | Getty Images
Defense giants welcomed Europe’s push to establish a drone wall on the area’s japanese flank, saying the flagship coverage will assist to counter a quickly growing safety problem.
Dozens of political leaders convened in Copenhagen, Denmark on Wednesday to thrash out easy methods to bolster the European Union’s defenses — and, maybe most significantly, easy methods to finance and function these initiatives.
Swedish protection producer Saab stated it welcomed initiatives designed to strengthen Europe’s protection capabilities, including that it “would be happy” to debate how the protection trade can contribute to the proposed drone wall.
“It is clear that the drone threat is rapidly increasing in civilian as well as military contexts and that a collaborative European effort could effectively meet this threat,” Mattias Rådström, head of media relations at Saab, informed CNBC by electronic mail.
Momentum behind the idea of a multi-layered drone wall on Europe’s japanese flank has been constructing in latest weeks.
Poland, Estonia, Lithuania and Romania — EU and NATO members on Europe’s northern and japanese flank near Russia — have all not too long ago reported airspace incursions allegedly involving Russian jets or drones.
Denmark and Norway, in the meantime, have additionally reported unidentified drones of their airspace in latest days, with the incidents resulting in important disruption to airports and air site visitors.
Russia has denied it is behind the drone provocations towards its European neighbors, describing them as “unfounded accusations.”
Regardless, the airspace incursions have fueled calls from a number of EU member states to construct a drone wall, one which might higher shield the area’s japanese flank from potential assaults.
‘A excessive stage of curiosity’
Speaking in early September, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that the EU “must heed the call of our Baltic friends and build a drone wall.” She described the prospect as “the bedrock of credible defence.”
British protection contractor BAE Systems, which has seen its drone portfolio develop quickly by way of scale, output and capabilities lately, stated it already offers “the backbone” of European air energy by way of the Typhoon’s NATO air-policing function.
“We stand ready to further support the initiatives and requirements of NATO allies and partners,” a BAE Systems spokesperson informed CNBC by electronic mail.
Saab emblem is seen throughout protection trade exhibition in Kielce, Poland on September 3, 2024.
Nurphoto | Nurphoto | Getty Images
German arms maker Rheinmetall, for its half, stated the EU summit comes at a time when there’s already “a high level of interest” in each unmanned aerial techniques (UAS) and counter UAS drone protection.
“Drones are relatively easy targets to combat because they often fly slowly and very low,” a Rheinmetall spokesperson informed CNBC by electronic mail.
“The challenges lie in detecting and distinguishing between small drones (mini and micro drones) and in defending against swarm attacks. Effective drone defence must combine several countermeasures, with cannon-based drone defence taking centre stage in our view, as this is the only cost-effective measure,” they added.
It is inside this context {that a} cannon-based drone protection system is the “ideal means” of defending towards drones at shut vary by way of cost-benefit, effectivity and reliability, the Rheinmetall spokesperson stated.
A Luna NG VTOL reconnaissance drone is seen on the new Rheinmetall artillery munitions manufacturing unit throughout its inauguration on August 27, 2025 in Unterluess, Germany.
Morris Macmatzen | Getty Images News | Getty Images
As EU leaders convened on Wednesday, Denmark’s protection ministry stated quite a few European nations had contributed anti-drone tools, experience and personnel to assist strengthen the nation’s protection towards drones this week.
Ukraine, an professional in drone warfare after three years of war with Russia, additionally lent Denmark its anti-drone experience.
Three areas of concern
It’s not simply established protection giants intently monitoring the prospect of a drone wall on Europe’s japanese flank.
Jens Holzapfel, enterprise director at Swedish protection drone firm Nordic Air Defense (NAD), additionally welcomed what he described as a “bold and ambitious” plan.
“I think it is very important and we certainly welcome that initiative because every investment in drone defense is much needed and, of course, it is very pleasant to see that European leaders are uniting around a common perception of the threat,” Holzapfel informed CNBC by video name.
Ukrainian troopers put together the UAV ‘Evanger’ for launch on September 24, 2025 in Kharkiv Oblast, Ukraine. Ukrainian troopers use UAVs to focus on Russian positions and fortifications.
Global Images Ukraine | Global Images Ukraine | Getty Images
The push to develop the drone wall has raised some issues, nonetheless. NAD’s Holzapfel cited the title itself as a possible downside, saying the concept of a drone wall dangers oversimplifying the truth.
“This will be a network of radars, other sensors and countermeasures that need to be sort of interoperable and integrated. So, it is not an easy trick to pull off,” Holzapfel stated.
He careworn that the EU must also be cognizant to the chance of drones being launched from inside its territory, saying nation state attackers and even non-state actors might need been impressed by Ukraine’s notorious “Spiderweb” drone attack on strategic targets deep inside Russia earlier this 12 months.
“My concern is that the establishment of the drone wall will drown in the regular European bureaucracy and haggling between member states over who’s calling the shots, and which companies will be involved, and so forth,” Holzapfel stated.
“It’s last minute to establish a drone wall and I’m worried that we will not be able to pull this off at the speed that is required,” he added.
— CNBC’s Holly Ellyatt contributed to this report.