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Ukraine Is Beating NATO in Drone Tech—And Alliance Acknowledges It
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![Photo of Vlad Litnarovych]( "Photo of Vlad Litnarovych")
NATO members must accelerate the pace of military innovation and draw lessons from Ukraine’s rapid integration of new technologies, according to Defence Industry Europe, citing General Alexus G. Grynkewich, the Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), on July 19.
Speaking at the LANDEURO 2025 in Wiesbaden, Germany, the US Air Force general stressed that the alliance can no longer afford to let bureaucratic delays slow the development and deployment of battlefield capabilities.
“The speed of technological adaptation shown by Ukraine during full-scale war should be the benchmark for NATO countries,” Grynkewich said, citing Ukraine’s success in deploying drones, digital platforms, and new strike systems in record time.
He emphasized the need for deep cooperation between armed forces and defense industries so that new systems can be developed in weeks, not years.
“Ukraine managed to build an effective system for rapidly implementing new technologies under the pressure of war,” he said. “We’ve seen them stand up serial production in a matter of days.”
Grynkewich urged NATO leaders to internalize this lesson and reshape defense-industrial processes accordingly.
“There’s nothing like combat operations to drive innovation; when your life depends on it, you change what you’re doing,” he noted, highlighting Ukraine’s battlefield use of additive manufacturing and autonomous systems.
The general called on industry and military leaders across Europe and the US to deliver faster, warning that pledges alone no longer suffice.
“We need real capabilities, and we need them delivered as soon as possible. We can’t afford to wait. Future pledges are no longer enough,” he said.
He also pushed for the creation of a unified transatlantic defense industrial base capable of jointly supplying the alliance.
“It’s a false choice to think we can only invest in one or the other. We need a seamless industrial base that can deliver capability and capacity for the alliance,” Grynkewich added.
As part of NATO’s evolving strategy, he praised the alliance-wide commitment to allocate 5% of GDP to defense, calling it a significant step forward. “This demonstrates will across the alliance, and every single nation is backing up our military requirements with real investment,” he said.
Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that the United States is interested in purchasing drones made in Ukraine, while Kyiv is looking to buy other types of weapons from American manufacturers.
