Aug 14 2026

NCIA integrates counter-drone technologies into military operations at Exercise Baltic Trust 26

In a world where drones are affordable, adaptable and increasingly central to modern military operations, integrating counter-unmanned aerial systems (C-UAS) technology into an operational environment is crucial for NATO’s rapid-response readiness posture. On the battlefield, technology is put to the test in real-time, training operators, testing system interoperability and validating suppression tactics under realistic military conditions.

In partnership with the Latvian National Armed Forces, the NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCIA) organized Exercise Baltic Trust (BATT) 26 in Latvia, from 3 to 14 August 2026. The joint exercise builds directly on TIE26, organized by NCIA, where systems presented by industry were tested live to determine whether they could connect securely and exchange information using common standards. At BATT26, the best performing command and control systems and other industry capabilities are taken a step further, with their ability to support operational troops and commanders’ decision-making, assessed in a realistic military environment.

NCIA integrates counter-drone technologies into military operations at Exercise Baltic Trust 26

BATT26 is part of Allied Command Transformation’s (ACT) Layered Counter-UAS Initiative (LCI-X), a series of threat-informed events designed to test and integrate counter-UAS solutions in support of NATO’s Eastern Flank. Together, these exercises ensure that Allied counter-UAS solutions are interoperable, rapid, and threat-informed across the Alliance, so that NATO can counter evolving battlefield threats with speed and confidence.

NCIA provides the technical environment that enables military and innovative systems developed by different industries from NATO Nations to operate together, delivering the secure infrastructure, standards and integration support required for information to move between sensors, systems and commanders. NCIA also conducts performance evaluation throughout, including detection speed, tracking continuity and data accuracy, to ensure that the Alliance maintains its technological edge with the best and most reliable tools and systems.

"Baltic Trust 26 provides a unique learning opportunity not only for the troops working with new technology, but also the industries providing the tech could see how their systems perform in an operational environment," explains Gerald Poppinga, Principal Solutions Engineer at the Joint Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance Centre, NCIA. "NCIA played a role on both sides, supporting the integration of the technology and ensuring interoperability, and providing valuable feedback to industry for future cooperation."

“Technical interoperability is only the starting point," states Captain Joe Pisoni, United States Navy, Director of LCI-X series. "The real test is whether military and industry systems can work together in the field, support commanders and give operators the information they need at the speed of the fight. Baltic Trust 26 allows us to take promising technologies beyond connectivity and prove how they contribute to integrated battlefield capability.”

NCIA continues to play an important role in translating emerging technology into technical interoperability for secure, reliable and operational use by Allied forces in multiple regions, including the Eastern Flank.