A study released by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) in London, in collaboration with the CSU-affiliated Hanns-Seidel Foundation, suggests that Europe’s current defense against unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is inadequate for the existing threat level.
According to the report, the operational framework faces several hurdles: detection methods are inconsistent, legal jurisdictions are fragmented, response capabilities are often disproportionate, and assigning responsibility takes too long to allow for timely deterrence.
The study, titled “Russia’s UAV Campaign over Europe,” found that between August 2024 and February 2026, UAVs were detected in the airspace of twelve NATO member states, as well as Ireland. The paper concludes with a very high probability that this UAV campaign originated with Russia. It is assessed as likely that Russian-linked vessels and the so-called ‘Shadow Fleet’ were used as launch and recovery platforms for these UAVs, constituting part of Moscow’s broader unconventional war against Europe.
Klaus Holetschek, Chairman of the Hanns-Seidel Foundation, highlighted the severe nature of the threat, stating to the “Tagesspiegel” that while definitive attribution can be difficult, the study strongly suggests Russia is behind the coordinated UAV campaign across Europe. He noted that it is alarming how unprepared Europe has been for this type of hybrid threat, citing the inconsistent detection, fragmented legal powers, often unsuitable reaction capabilities, and protracted attribution processes as key weaknesses.
The most ambitious collective European response, the European Drone Defence Initiative (EDDI), aims to establish a 360-degree, continent-wide drone defense architecture, initially achieving operational capability by the end of 2026. However, the European Parliament concluded in January 2026 that the EDDI lacked the necessary doctrinal coherence and agility to achieve scalable results. The study emphasized that even if the EDDI were fully operational, it could only engage a UAV once it had penetrated European air space, yet it possessed no mandate concerning the ship from which the UAV had been launched.
