NATO exercises test integrated air defense systems in Europe

During recent NATO exercises, defense technologies were tested to enhance interoperability and drone protection across European forces. In the ATLAS 26 maneuvers held in Huelva, Spain, ARMMO Defense Technologies and GDELS Santa Bárbara Sistemas demonstrated the integration and launch of the BANDIT-X interceptor from an ASCOD HMC tracked vehicle. This collaboration aims to provide mobile air defense against unmanned aerial systems by combining armored vehicle mobility with high-speed autonomous interceptors.

Simultaneously, during the Spartan Arrow 26 exercise in Crete, Greece, Airbus Defence and Space successfully integrated German and Swedish air defense systems into a unified NATO command and control network. The tests connected Germany’s IRIS-T SLM and LeFlaSys systems with the German SAMOC operations center, alongside the Swedish Air Force’s Patriot system. This integration allows for a layered defense capable of addressing threats such as cruise missiles and drones across long, medium, and short ranges, marking a significant step toward official NATO certification.