Europe needs an “drone army”. The warning of a European Commissioner in the face of Russian threat
Europe must be prepared for a possible large war with Russia, and one of the essential directions is to set up a “drone army” – a military capacity that exceeds what the Kremlin could mobilize in the near future. The warning comes from Andrius Kubilius, European Commissioner responsible for the defense, in an interview recently given to the British Sky News.
According to Kubilius, Russia could have, in the scenario of a major conflict, up to five million drones, which is why “Europe must be able to produce and operate more than to have a real chance to resist and defeat.” In his opinion, it is not a speculation, but an emergency: the preparation must begin now.
“If Putin decides to attack, the target will be confronted with a Russian army already tested in battle, who knows how to use millions of drones. Europe no longer has the luxury of hesitation,” warned the Lithuanian official.
Starting from the experience of the Ukrainian front, Kubilius also offers a concrete estimation: “Ukraine holds a 1,200 -kilometer front line using about four million drones. In the case of Lithuania, which has a 900 -kilometer border with the Russian Federation, we estimate that at least three million drones would need for an effective defense.” His statements are based on data from the field and on lessons learned in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict.
However, Kubilius does not plead for the accumulation of massive stocks, but for the development of a dynamic production capacity. “Teams of pilots, engineers, factories prepared to scales production if necessary. It does not make sense to fill the drones that will become quickly outdated.”
In the vision of the European Commissioner, only two European armies are currently “tested in battle” and capable of operating on a large scale with drone type systems: the Russian one, actively involved in aggression, and the Ukrainian, which has adapted quickly. “Europe has to learn urgently from Ukraine-both defense against massive drones and how to reform their defense industry to become innovative.”
Kudilius has long supported a deeper integration between the Ukrainian defense industry and that of the European Union, as a strategic solution not only for Ukraine, but for the entire continent's security architecture.
In the context in which Russia accelerates its military efforts and prepares for a habling, Europe is facing a crucial choice: either it quickly adapts its capabilities, or it risks entering an enemy much better prepared for the new generation technological war.
