NATO has launched a new procurement marketplace intended to speed up how member countries buy technologies designed to counter drones.
The platform is called the Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems marketplace — shortened to C-UAS, a term used for tools that detect, track or stop unmanned aircraft, NATO informed in a release on Thursday.
Member states will be able to purchase approved systems directly from a NATO catalogue without going through a further tender process.
NATO said the marketplace forms part of “Drone Edge”, an initiative unveiled at the NATO Summit Defence Industry Forum in Ankara in July.
16 selected solutions from five companies
The NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCIA) has selected 16 solutions from five companies: Alta Ares, Axon Enterprise Inc., Northrop Grumman, OSL UK and Quantum Systems.
The chosen capabilities have already been deployed in Allied countries and in Ukraine.
The selected systems include a mix of static, transportable and “on-the-move” options.
NCIA will manage multi-award framework contracts — contracts that set terms in advance so purchases can be made more quickly — which will run for 18 months, NATO said, adding that it intends to hold regular competitions to make newer technologies available.
NATO has also allocated €3.1 million for further testing of the selected solutions by nations or NATO commands.
The marketplace sits alongside an allied commitment under Drone Edge to invest more than $40 billion in counter-drone capabilities over the next five years.
