NATO Aims to Cut Decision Times by 50% with New AI Targeting Tools

NATO is targeting a 50% reduction in the time required to process information and make engagement decisions through a new initiative called Next Generation Targeting. The program seeks to integrate national data using modular artificial intelligence while keeping human operators in control of final decisions.

The alliance presented this effort alongside two other programs at the NATO FUSE event held in Latvia on October 29 and 30. The exercises brought together representatives from more than 30 countries and over 100 companies. Maj.-Gen. Arnoud Stallmann, the assistant chief of staff for multi-domain capability at NATO, stated that the event is a test of concepts rather than a procurement exercise.

Stallmann cited drone incursions into Poland last September as a turning point for the alliance. He noted that drones now enter the airspace of eastern flank nations frequently. This pressure has forced NATO to rethink its defense strategies and accelerate the adoption of new technology.

The Layered Counter-UAS Initiative aims to create a scalable and affordable defense network. Stallmann said NATO is looking for lower-cost intercept options instead of relying on expensive assets like fighter jets. The initiative involves testing individual systems and then linking them into connected counter-drone cells. These tests have taken place in Finland and Latvia over the past year.

NATO is also developing a digital backbone to improve connectivity across borders. The Digital Backbone eXperimentation program focuses on maintaining communications when networks are disrupted. It seeks to allow forces to share data and operate together across air, land, and cyber domains. This infrastructure is designed to support the new targeting tools by reducing latency in data flow.

Stallmann described the current modernization effort as a sprint driven by funding allocated for this year and the next. He explained that traditional procurement cycles that take 20 years are no longer viable. The alliance must field new capabilities at a pace measured in months rather than decades to match the speed of its adversaries.

The general said that lessons from Ukraine have shown how quickly drone technology evolves. His team previously managed Dutch support efforts for Ukraine, including platform deliveries and training. He views the current exercises in Latvia as the start of a continuous cycle of adaptation rather than a final solution.