A major NATO exercise in Finland highlighted how drones, artificial intelligence and counter-drone systems are reshaping battlefield planning as commanders study lessons from the war in Ukraine.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
NATO commanders are warning that the alliance must move quickly to adapt to a battlefield increasingly dominated by drones, artificial intelligence and autonomous systems, as military planners assess how the war in Ukraine has changed the future of combat.
The concern was highlighted during Northern Star, a major NATO exercise in eastern Finland involving about 5,000 troops from seven countries, according to The Telegraph. The drills took place in heavily forested terrain near Finland’s border with Russia and focused in part on the vulnerability of traditional armored forces in modern warfare.
In one simulated battle, anti-tank teams ambushed a column of Finnish Leopard 2 tanks concealed among dense woodland about 18 miles from the Russian border. In another scenario, drones and artillery strikes disabled armored vehicles that had grouped too closely together.
The attacks were part of the exercise, but commanders said the scenarios reflected lessons learned from Russia’s war in Ukraine, where drones have become one of the most decisive tools on the battlefield.
“NATO commanders now face a looming crisis: learning how to fight on a 21st-century battlefield dominated by AI-assisted drones,” military officials involved in the exercise said.
The warning comes after more than four years of war in Ukraine, where Russia has gained extensive experience using drones in combat. NATO officials are concerned that Moscow’s battlefield lessons could give it an advantage unless alliance members rapidly expand drone production, improve counter-drone systems and integrate artificial intelligence into military operations.
Latvia’s military leadership recently warned that Russia could exploit gaps in European readiness and pose a threat to the Baltic states before the end of the decade.
The war has forced NATO to reconsider the role of tanks and other armored vehicles. Ukrainian military estimates say Russia has lost nearly 12,000 tanks and 25,000 armored vehicles since the invasion began. Ukrainian forces also have suffered thousands of vehicle losses.
Military officials say drones now account for more than 90% of battlefield casualties, with armored vehicles among their most frequent targets.
Finnish tank commander Cpl. Julius Arkkilä, whose crew was “eliminated” during a Northern Star training scenario, said drones have made tank operations more dangerous and unpredictable.
“Operating a tank in this terrain is dangerous, because there are drones now, so you need to keep your eyes on the air and then on the road and everyone else,” Arkkilä said. “Things can change in a second.”
The exercise took place as Finland monitors Russian military activity near its 830-mile border, the longest NATO frontier with Russia. Finnish intelligence officials have warned that Moscow is rebuilding military infrastructure and increasing troop deployments in the area even as it continues to sustain losses in Ukraine.
Maj. Gen. Pekka Turunen, Finland’s defense intelligence chief, said Russia is accelerating its buildup along the border and could shift more future force development toward the Finnish frontier once the war in Ukraine ends.
NATO’s challenge now extends beyond conventional defense of its eastern flank. Military planners say the alliance must increase procurement of drones, autonomous systems and counter-drone technologies, while also preparing troops to fight in environments where unmanned aircraft and AI-assisted targeting are constant threats.
Gen. Christopher Donahue, commander of U.S. Army Europe and Africa, said NATO has adjusted its training to reflect how the alliance expects to fight.
NATO “has changed our exercises to directly rehearse how we will fight,” Donahue said, referring to the Eastern Flank Deterrence Initiative, which stretches from Finland to Romania.
Military officials also acknowledged that NATO’s current drone inventories could be depleted quickly in a major war with Russia. That concern has increased pressure on alliance members to expand production capacity and build larger stockpiles before a crisis occurs.
Northern Star was also the first large-scale NATO exercise in Finland since the country joined the alliance in 2023 following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Finland’s entry brought NATO directly onto Russia’s northwestern border and increased the alliance’s responsibility for defending a long and difficult frontier.
The exercise underscored a broader shift in military thinking. Tanks, artillery and infantry remain important, but commanders say future wars may be shaped as much by drones, artificial intelligence, autonomous systems and electronic warfare as by traditional heavy armor.
For NATO, the lesson from Ukraine is clear: The alliance must modernize quickly or risk entering a future conflict with weapons, tactics and stockpiles built for a battlefield that no longer exists.
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