So are we asking exactly the wrong question? Instead of building a drone wall to stop drones, is it better to target the drone launching targets themselves – as the old saying goes, shoot the archer, not just the arrow.
Ms Bego argues, “It’s one thing to become more resilient against it, but it would be much better if it didn’t happen at all.”
“And it’s really around making it clear to Russia, or whoever the actor is behind this, that this type of behavior crosses the line. It has consequences and they have to pay a price. And that’s important. That should really be part of it.”
But any suggestion of NATO attacking Russian targets – kinetically as opposed to digitally in cyberspace – would be incredibly risky and stressful.
Ever since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, the challenge for NATO, and especially its most powerful member the US, has been to help Ukraine defend itself, but without getting involved in a NATO-Russia war.
Building a defensive drone wall in Europe is one thing. Attacking the places from where drones are launched is a completely different matter.
Top Image Credit: Getty Images, SketchFab