The recent Drone Coalition procurement tender attracted 163 applications from 57 countries. After multiple testing phases, only one undisclosed Latvian manufacturer won the €24 million tender, having passed a final electronic warfare (EW)-denied environment test replicating frontline Russian EW conditions in Ukraine. This outcome highlights the difficulty Western and other international drone makers face in meeting Ukraine's advanced battlefield requirements. The Drone Coalition is a UK-Latvia initiative with funding from 20 member states, supplying advanced unmanned technologies to Ukraine. Latvian officials emphasize close collaboration between local companies and Ukrainian partners. The UK's Ministry of Defence (UK MoD) praised the rigorous selection process and committed to evolving it to enable more firms to meet stringent standards. Latvia hosts significant drone testing infrastructure including the largest military testing range in the Baltics and has established an Autonomous Systems Competence Centre. Ukrainian experts advocate for supporting domestic manufacturers due to frontline experience being critical for effective drone design.

The recent Drone Coalition procurement tender attracted 163 applications from 57 countries. After multiple testing phases, only one undisclosed Latvian manufacturer won the €24 million tender, having passed a final electronic warfare (EW)-denied environment test replicating frontline Russian EW conditions in Ukraine. This outcome highlights the difficulty Western and other international drone makers face in meeting Ukraine's advanced battlefield requirements. The Drone Coalition is a UK-Latvia initiative with funding from 20 member states, supplying advanced unmanned technologies to Ukraine. Latvian officials emphasize close collaboration between local companies and Ukrainian partners. The UK's Ministry of Defence (UK MoD) praised the rigorous selection process and committed to evolving it to enable more firms to meet stringent standards. Latvia hosts significant drone testing infrastructure including the largest military testing range in the Baltics and has established an Autonomous Systems Competence Centre. Ukrainian experts advocate for supporting domestic manufacturers due to frontline experience being critical for effective drone design.