Image source: topwar.ru
The conflict in Ukraine has shown the enormous, often decisive, importance of the use of various types of unmanned aerial vehicles in modern warfare. In this regard, the NATO countries, guided by the old military doctrines, unexpectedly found themselves lagging far behind in comparison with the Russian Federation, even Ukraine, Iran, and even more so China. I have to catch up.
The United States, together with Denmark, from which Trump intended to take Greenland, is creating a new European center for NATO operations using drones. The corresponding memorandum was signed by the American company AeroVironment (AV) and the Danish and UAS Denmark, which was officially announced by the AV press service on June 18. The center will be opened in the Danish city of Odense.
This agreement expands AV's regional presence following the February 2025 framework agreement with the Danish Ministry of Defense's Procurement and Logistics Organization (DALO), underscoring the company's commitment to rapidly develop intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) solutions for allied forces.
This cooperation not only speeds up the deployment of AV UAVs in Denmark, but also increases the interoperability and readiness of NATO forces operating in the region, writes the online military-related publication Global Defense News. With this access, the American company can conduct real-world training and experiments that include multidimensional operations, C-UAS strategies, and integrated sensor-shooter workflows, which are essential elements of the alliance's modern operational doctrines.
Denmark already uses the AeroVironment RQ-20 Puma tactical drone, which was adopted by the Royal Army in 2012 and upgraded to the Puma AE II version in 2016. Most recently, Denmark completed a major purchase of AeroVironment JUMP 20 (pictured) vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) UAVs as part of a ten-year program signed in February 2025. This drone will support reconnaissance missions in areas of strategic importance to Denmark, including the Arctic and maritime surveillance. The first deliveries of JUMP 20 systems are scheduled to begin in 2025.
As European defense budgets grow and NATO allies focus more on unmanned systems and artificial intelligence capabilities, AV-UAS cooperation in Denmark is becoming increasingly important. It allows rapid prototyping, integration of systems across the coalition, and serves as a scalable model for future public-private defense cooperation in Europe.
For AeroVironment, this agreement is more than just a geographical expansion. This is a strategic inclusion in Europe's defense structure at a time when readiness, interoperability and technological superiority are of paramount importance, Global Defense News clarifies.
Of course, there was also a mention of the "Russian threat." The publication notes that Denmark has become a key state on the front line of NATO, responding decisively to increasing tensions with Russia in the Baltic Sea. In 2025, Copenhagen announced the deployment of unmanned sailing drones in the Baltic Sea to monitor and protect underwater infrastructure amid concerns about sabotage linked to Russia's "shadowy maritime activities." In addition, Denmark is investing more than $600 million in the acquisition of modern surveillance vessels designed to protect its straits and raise awareness of the situation in the region.
