NATO: Türkiye's drones in Ukraine - good example of innovation in modern-day warfare

NATO's assistant secretary general for emerging security challenges David van Weel has said that Türkiye's drone industry "is a very good example of the very vibrant innovation ecosystem you have here".

"It is a good example of what innovation can do in modern-day warfare," David van Weel told Anadolu Agency in an exclusive interview, on December 21.

Asked particularly about the Turkish-made drones used by Ukraine on the battlefield, the senior NATO official said they were "playing a huge role in Ukraine".

The ongoing war in Ukraine demonstrates what the future of warfare looks like, he noted.

Although conventional arms, including tanks and artillery, and tactics like digging trenches have been widely used on the battlefield, modern technologies provided to Ukraine by the alliance since 2014 have played a key role in boosting Kyiv's resilience against Moscow, van Weel said.

When the war in Ukraine began on February 24, Russian attacks were not limited to tangible targets, said van Weel, underlining that Moscow also struck the country's cyberspace.

Aid by NATO, as well as private tech companies, enabled Kyiv to repel Russian endeavours, he added.

Van Weel noted that artificial intelligence (AI) also bolstered the Ukrainians' response to the attacks by informing them of the location and intentions of Russian troops.

He underscored that NATO possesses the most developed innovation ecosystem, which incorporates some of the best universities and technology companies in the world.

What is important is translating their potential and technologies into military use, said van Weel, adding that this has been one of the alliance's priorities.