NATO launched its first Testing, Evaluation, Verification, and Validation campaign for unmanned and counter-drone systems at Latvia’s Sēlija training area, according to information published by NATO on March 18, 2026. The trials at the Innovation Range brought together defense firms and military units from Alliance member states and Ukraine to test aerial systems under operational conditions.
The Sēlija site enables high-altitude and high-velocity drone interception trials, addressing modern threats that operate beyond traditional short-range air defense envelopes. Developers evaluated kinetic interceptors, proximity-fused munitions, and electronic warfare solutions during the open-spectrum exercises.
Ukraine’s Battlefield Experience Drives NATO Exercises
NATO officials noted that the Western allies have not fought a large-scale war of this scale in decades, making Ukraine one of Europe’s most battle-tested militaries.
Tarja Jaakkola, NATO’s assistant secretary general for defense industry, innovation, and armaments, stated at a drone summit in Latvia that Ukraine’s success in drills is unsurprising because its troops apply hard-won combat lessons. Adm. Pierre Vandier, head of NATO Allied Command Transformation, emphasized in March that training must serve as a place to fail, learn, and adapt before wartime forces changes.
Tactical Wins and Soft-Kill Testing in Latvia
Recent training friction points include naval drone drills off Portugal, where a Ukraine-led team beat NATO units in five simulated scenarios, and exercises in Sweden where Ukrainian drone pilots acting as aggressors overwhelmed Swedish troops. General Michael Claesson, Sweden’s chief of defense, told the Associated Press that Western forces must learn rapidly from Ukrainian operations.
During the Latvia trials, companies deployed jamming systems, spoofing technologies, and signal disruption tools to test effectiveness against GNSS-dependent and autonomous navigation systems. Adm. Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, chair of NATO’s military committee, noted in April that Ukrainian personnel frequently act as a red team in training to teach Alliance units how to defend against complex drone attacks.