On the chilly morning of November 8, 2025, the familiar roar of B-52 bombers echoed over Morón Air Base in southern Spain. The aircraft, hailing from Barksdale Air Force Base in the United States, touched down as part of NATO’s latest show of unity—Bomber Task Force Europe 26-1. According to NATO, this operation is more than a routine exercise; it’s a carefully coordinated effort to boost joint readiness with key partners, including Finland, Sweden, and Lithuania. The timing couldn’t be more significant as tensions continue to simmer on NATO’s eastern flank and in the north.
Flights launching from Spain are designed to reinforce NATO’s posture, sending a strong message of deterrence and partnership. The alliance’s focus is clear: strengthen air cooperation among member states and ensure that any threat—real or perceived—is met with a united front. These activities are coordinated by the newly operational Combined Air Operations Centre (CAOC) Bodø in Norway, which opened its doors in October 2025. Working alongside established centers in Uedem, Germany, and Torrejón, Spain, CAOC Bodø enhances NATO’s command structure, giving the alliance greater agility and oversight in a rapidly changing security landscape.
Just days after their arrival, on November 12, a US B-52 was escorted by Finnish F/A-18 Hornet fighters as it soared above Finland. The Finnish Air Force confirmed that simulated weapon strikes were carried out on targets identified by Finnish Joint Terminal Attack Controller (JTAC) units at the Sotinpuro training field. This exercise, while simulated, underscores the seriousness with which NATO and its partners are approaching regional threats. According to the Finnish Air Force, "Finnish F/A-18 Hornets escorted a US B-52 Stratofortress, which conducted simulated drops on targets designated by Finnish JTACs at the Sotinpuro firing range on November 12, 2025."
But air drills are only one piece of a much larger puzzle. On November 13, eight European countries—Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, and Sweden—announced a joint defense package worth $500 million for Ukraine. The funds, allocated under the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) initiative, will be used to purchase military equipment and ammunition, including American-made weapons. According to the North Atlantic Alliance, the PURL initiative enables Ukraine to acquire US weapons funded by NATO partner countries, deepening defense cooperation and boosting Ukraine’s capabilities as it faces continued Russian aggression.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte welcomed the move, emphasizing its urgency as Ukraine heads into the harsh winter months. "Our Northern and Baltic allies are stepping up funding for another package of critical military equipment for Ukraine. This equipment is critically important as Ukraine enters the winter months," Rutte stated, according to NATO’s press service. He further stressed that the alliance will continue to provide Ukraine with the resources it needs to defend itself, vowing ongoing support in the face of Russian hostilities.
The PURL initiative has already delivered tangible results. As recently reported by the Office of the President of Ukraine, partner contributions to cover Ukraine’s priority defense needs under PURL have reached $2.82 billion. These funds have enabled the formation of five packages of American weapons, a crucial lifeline as the conflict grinds on. NATO has also signaled its intent to develop deeper cooperation with the Ukrainian defense industry, leveraging shared expertise to jointly strengthen defense capabilities.
Looking ahead, NATO plans to ramp up its support even further, with approximately $60 billion in additional assistance earmarked for Ukraine by 2026. This commitment goes beyond immediate battlefield needs, aiming to ensure Ukraine’s long-term resilience and security. The alliance’s approach is multifaceted, blending financial aid, equipment transfers, and intensive training exercises to create a robust defensive posture across the region.
Meanwhile, Sweden has taken an innovative approach to understanding—and countering—emerging threats. In a move that’s as much about brains as it is about brawn, Sweden has purchased and tested two copies of Russian drones from the Ukrainian drone builder UAC. The idea? To get inside the mind of the adversary and prepare Swedish forces for the realities of modern drone warfare. Anders Hedman, head of the FMV’s test and evaluation ground area, explained, "We have purchased two types of drones that correspond to Russian capabilities."
The drones in question are the MACE, which is equivalent to Russia’s Lancet loitering munition, and the STORK, which mirrors features of the Orlan-10 and Supercam S350 reconnaissance drones. Ukrainian troops provided hands-on training to their Swedish counterparts at the FMV’s newly established UAS testing facility in Karlsborg, Sweden. Michael Ledenius, head of the technical unit at FMV, summed up the rationale: "By purchasing copies of Russian systems, we can train against the threat we ourselves risk facing."
The MACE drone, with its dual X-shaped wings and electric motor, can fly for up to 60 minutes and reach speeds of up to 300 kilometers per hour. It’s a cost-effective system, too: according to a report by the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), the Russian Lancet-3M—on which MACE is modeled—costs about $30,000, a fraction of the $319,000 price tag for a single AGM-179 Joint Air-to-Ground Missile. Lancet drones, with their 35-kilometer range, have been used by Russia in hybrid salvos targeting Ukrainian infrastructure, compensating for slow territorial gains.
Ukraine, for its part, has turned the tables by striking Russian oil refineries and logistical hubs deep inside Russia, including targets as far afield as Ryazan, Saratov, Volgograd, and even Tyumen in Siberia. These long-range drone attacks have disrupted fuel supplies and underscored the growing reach of Ukrainian unmanned systems.
The STORK LR reconnaissance drone, also electric-powered and fixed-wing, is used for terrain mapping and artillery fire adjustment—much like its Russian counterparts. The battlefield is evolving quickly: in August 2025, Ukrainian forces shot down a Russian Orlan drone acting as a mothership, carrying two smaller first-person-view unmanned aerial systems. This adaptation has allowed Russia to extend the range of its drone strikes, complicating Ukraine’s defensive efforts.
All told, the recent flurry of activity—from strategic bomber flights and multinational funding packages to cutting-edge drone training—paints a picture of a region bracing for uncertainty but determined to stay ahead of the curve. NATO’s layered approach, blending military exercises, financial support, and technological innovation, reflects a new era of collective defense. As winter approaches and the conflict in Ukraine shows no sign of abating, the alliance’s unity and adaptability may prove to be its greatest strengths.
