Ukraine, NATO launch joint innovation and technology programme To strengthen battlefield capabilities / Photo

Ukraine and NATO have officially launched UNITE – Brave NATO, a joint innovation, technology, and engineering programme aimed at scaling prototype technologies to strengthen battlefield capabilities and interoperability.

The announcement was made during a meeting between NATO Deputy Secretary General Radmila Shekerinska and Ukraine’s First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Digital Transformation, Mykhailo Fedorov, Caliber.Az reports per NATO.

UNITE – Brave NATO represents the first formal collaborative effort between NATO and Ukraine to accelerate the development and deployment of innovative defence technologies. Ukraine’s defence tech cluster Brave1 will coordinate the programme domestically, while NATO has tasked the NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCIA) with executing the first competition.

The initial competition will prioritise technologies addressing counter-unmanned aerial systems (c-UAS), air defence, and secure frontline communications. Joint teams of Ukrainian and Allied companies will compete for grants totalling EUR 10 million, equally funded by NATO and Ukraine. Companies are expected to register interest online soon, with bids to be submitted in February 2026.

Following a successful pilot, NATO and Ukraine plan to scale the programme, potentially increasing funding to EUR 50 million in 2026, supported by NATO’s Comprehensive Assistance Package (CAP) and matching contributions from Ukraine’s Ministry of Digital Transformation.

Deputy Secretary General Shekerinska emphasised the programme’s dual benefits, highlighting that innovators from both NATO and Ukraine will address urgent battlefield challenges while enabling the Alliance to gain real-time insights.

Fedorov noted that the initiative will “accelerate the development of cutting-edge defence technologies and strengthen interoperability,” contributing to a “more resilient, adaptive, and technologically advanced defence architecture for the entire Euro-Atlantic community.”

Future phases of UNITE – Brave NATO will explore SIGINT systems, unmanned ground systems, and robust navigation in contested electromagnetic environments. Winners of the first competition are expected to be announced in spring 2026 at the second NATO-Ukraine Defence Innovators Forum, with further programme details to follow throughout the year.

By Aghakazim Guliyev