On October 16, 2025, two significant developments in military technology and policy converged, highlighting both the promise and the peril of artificial intelligence (AI) in modern warfare. As NATO intensifies its efforts to bolster airspace defense against the growing threat of drones, the alliance is not only investing in cutting-edge technology but also grappling with the ethical and procedural challenges that come with rapid AI adoption.
Dedrone by Axon, a US-based company specializing in AI-driven airspace monitoring, has joined forces with Germany’s TYTAN Technologies to deliver a comprehensive counter-unmanned aircraft system (C-UAS) for NATO allies. According to Dedrone, their Tracker.AI platform, already operational in more than 30 countries and responsible for over 800 million drone detections, will now be paired with TYTAN’s autonomous interceptor systems. This combination enables NATO partners to detect, track, and neutralize hostile drones—ranging from small commercial UAVs to larger, military-grade Group 3 drones—within seconds.
"Dedrone’s AI platform integrates radar, radio frequency, optical, and acoustic data into a single airspace view," the company stated, emphasizing the system’s ability to offer a full-spectrum response. TYTAN’s interceptors, meanwhile, add a kinetic option, allowing for the physical neutralization of threats moments after detection. This new partnership arrives at a time when NATO members are urgently reviewing their air and drone defense capabilities, drawing hard lessons from ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, where inexpensive drones have managed to slip past traditional defenses and inflict outsized damage on critical infrastructure.
The urgency is not limited to NATO. Across Europe, governments are stepping up investments in counter-drone technology. Germany has recently commissioned Hensoldt to upgrade its counter-drone systems at military bases and major airports, leveraging radar, electro-optical tracking, and jamming technology. France, as reported in its Military Programming Law for 2024-2030, has ordered $600 million worth of new counter-drone and air defense systems. The European Union, wary of aerial incursions—particularly from Russia—is planning a so-called "drone wall" along its eastern border. This ambitious project aims to link radar, sensors, jammers, and interceptor drones into a coordinated detection and defense network, an effort to ensure European skies remain secure as drone warfare evolves.
But as states rush to adopt these advanced systems, a parallel debate is unfolding about how to do so responsibly. According to an analysis published by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) on October 16, 2025, militaries worldwide are caught between the need to expedite AI adoption and the imperative to uphold principles of responsible behavior. The article, authored by Netta Goussac, a Senior Researcher in SIPRI’s Governance of Artificial Intelligence Programme, points out that the procurement of AI for military use is fraught with challenges. Among them: a shortage of AI-literate personnel, a diverse landscape of suppliers including tech startups, and the risk that streamlined procurement processes could bypass necessary oversight.
Goussac observes, "Streamlining procurement pathways to facilitate adoption of AI may stand at odds with the kind of administration demanded by principles of responsible behaviour." She notes that while off-the-shelf solutions can be deployed quickly, they may not always meet the military’s unique needs and could introduce risks if not properly vetted. Furthermore, decentralizing procurement decisions to individual units or commands might speed things up, but it could also mean those decisions aren’t reviewed by officials with the expertise to distinguish between genuine innovation and industry hype.
What, then, does responsible behavior look like in the context of military AI? International frameworks offer some guidance. The United States, United Kingdom, France, Japan, the European Parliament, and NATO have all articulated principles for the responsible use of military AI. These generally call for lawful, ethical, and accountable use; safety and reliability; transparency; and efforts to minimize bias. Canada, too, has pledged to develop AI ethics principles, and numerous states have endorsed declarations such as the USA-led 2023 political statement on responsible AI use, the 2024 Blueprint for Action from the REAIM Summit, and the Paris Declaration on Maintaining Human Control in AI-Enabled Weapon Systems adopted in February 2025.
These principles are not just about how AI is used on the battlefield—they also shape the procurement process itself. Legal reviews, rigorous and independent testing, robust supplier relationships, and engagement with end users are all vital steps. For example, the US Department of Defense’s 2022 Responsible Artificial Intelligence Strategy and Implementation Pathway stressed the importance of "exercis[ing] appropriate care in the AI product and acquisition lifecycle to ensure potential AI risks are considered from the outset of an AI project . . . while enabling AI development at the pace the Department needs to meet the National Defense Strategy."
Yet, the practicalities are not always straightforward. As Goussac points out, "The development of AI capabilities is often iterative and compressed. Cutting-edge AI capabilities are developed through a rapid process of design, testing and refining based on feedback." This approach can clash with traditional procurement processes, which tend to be linear and methodical, as well as with the risk-averse mindset enshrined in responsible behavior guidelines.
Some nations are already experimenting with new procurement models to address these challenges. Ukraine, facing extreme operational needs, has implemented sweeping procurement reforms to streamline and accelerate the acquisition of advanced technologies. Sweden has authorized its defense procurement agency to cooperate with Ukrainian authorities, hoping to learn from these real-world adaptations. The US and NATO, too, are adjusting their procurement strategies to better accommodate the rapid evolution of AI capabilities. Meanwhile, China’s military–civil fusion strategy is blurring the lines between civilian and military innovation, further accelerating the pace of AI development and deployment.
International cooperation is increasingly seen as essential. The United Nations Secretary-General, in August 2025, called for the establishment of "a dedicated and inclusive process to comprehensively tackle the issue of AI in the military domain and its implications for international peace and security." States are encouraged to share experiences and best practices in forums such as future REAIM summits or at the UN General Assembly. Civilian standards, like the World Economic Forum AI Government Procurement Guidelines and the IEEE Standard for the Procurement of Artificial Intelligence and Automated Decision Systems, are also being looked to for inspiration in the military context.
Ultimately, as NATO and its partners deploy advanced AI-powered defense systems like those from Dedrone and TYTAN, the challenge will be to ensure that the drive for strategic advantage does not outpace the commitment to ethical and responsible behavior. The stakes are high—not just for military effectiveness, but for public trust and international stability.
As the world enters a new era of AI-driven defense, the need to balance speed, security, and responsibility has never been more pressing. The choices made today will shape not only the future of warfare, but also the norms that govern it.
