Estonia begins laying the keystone for a great Baltic Drone Wall

Drones are changing the nature of warfare. On the front lines in Ukraine, cheap drones that might cost a few hundred dollars are regularly being used to destroy multimillion-dollar weapons systems, armored vehicles and even individual soldiers. And that does not even take into account the hundreds of drones that Russia and Ukraine constantly launch at one another to destroy both military targets and critical infrastructure.

In fact, in addition to fighting Russia directly on the front lines, one of the biggest defensive struggles for Ukraine has been trying to shoot down or otherwise disable the nightly attacks on their power plants, government buildings and even residential neighborhoods. The country, like most others, had very little drone protection in place before the war and is now rapidly trying to shore up those defenses while under fire.

That struggle is being closely watched by other nations which may one day face a similar threat. NATO countries that share a border with Russia, namely Poland, Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania could be particularly vulnerable to swarms of drones launched over their borders, and don’t want to be caught defenseless should that happen.

To that end, some of those nations are investing in an interwoven system of detection devices and defenses which are colloquially being called The Baltic Drone Wall. So far, over $12 million has been devoted to the project, which aims to provide autonomous surveillance systems powered by artificial intelligence and backed by drone countermeasure systems and other defenses designed to disable or destroy hostile drones. The ultimate goal is to fully cover hundreds of miles of the border with Russia so that no drone can pass over the wall without being detected and possibly destroyed.

Nextgov/FCW talked with Defence Estonia Cluster Manager Rene Ehasalu about the ambitious anti-drone wall project, the challenges that come from trying to secure such a long border occupied by multiple nations and diverse terrain, and why robust drone defenses may be critical in the very near future as the nature of warfare continues to evolve.

Nextgov/FCW: What is driving the need for The Baltic Drone Wall? 

Rene Ehasalu: The war in Ukraine has fundamentally reshaped military thinking about drones, offering real-world insights into how unmanned systems will be used in future conflicts. Key lessons learned span the tactical, operational and strategic domains, including technology, doctrine and even ethics.

Drones are now essential at every level of warfare. By this I mean that drones are being used from the squad level — for reconnaissance and targeting — to strategic missions such as long range strikes on infrastructure. Their widespread use has made them a core part of modern combat, not just specialized tools. 

Because of that, electronic warfare and counter-drone defenses are critical. Jamming, spoofing and kinetic defenses are now central to surviving drone attacks. And as drone use grows, so does the need for advanced countermeasures, making electronic warfare a decisive element on the battlefield. This is especially true as cheap and mass-produced drones, often equipped with explosives or modified with 3D-printed parts, have proven highly effective and capable of destroying expensive military hardware. This shows that low-cost systems can punch far above their weight.

Warfare is also becoming faster, more transparent and decentralized. This means that the tactics of warfare also have to change with the technology.

Nextgov/FCW: Your country, Estonia, is at peace right now. But are you and the other Baltic countries already seeing drones being used against your nations?

Ehasalu: Russian drones have been observed conducting surveillance over sensitive sites in Estonia, including critical infrastructure and military facilities. Those drones, often commercially available models, can capture high-resolution imagery and transmit it in real-time, posing significant intelligence-gathering risks. Estonia and its Baltic neighbors, Latvia and Lithuania, are increasingly focused on drone-related threats during peacetime, driven by regional security concerns and evolving hybrid warfare tactics. 

Drones have also been utilized for smuggling operations along the Estonian-Russian border, transporting contraband such as drugs and potentially weapons too. These activities exploit the drones' ability to bypass traditional border security measures, entering and exiting without detection.

Using drones to disrupt essential services is also a growing concern. For example, Estonia's national grid operator, Elering, is investing $200 million to protect its infrastructure from drone-related threats. This initiative includes installing advanced detection and countermeasure systems at key electrical substations and along high voltage transmission lines connecting Estonia to Latvia, aiming to safeguard them against potential drone attacks .

Nextgov/FCW: So, you are already experiencing drone threats during peacetime. How do you expect that the nature of those threats would change or escalate during wartime?

Ehasalu: If a conflict or war were to reach Estonia’s border or the broader Baltic region’s borders, drone-related threats would escalate dramatically in scale, intensity and purpose compared to peacetime. To defend against those threats, we need to have a secure and high-tech border with ready-to-use counter measurements.

In peacetime drones are primarily used for espionage, but in wartime, drones would be armed and used for direct attacks on military targets, communication hubs, radar systems, energy grids and civilian infrastructure. From covert hybrid activity to open tactical attacks, where drones would be openly deployed as part of coordinated military operations, drones would be used alongside ground and missile forces. Battlefield drones would also guide artillery, support infantry and disrupt logistics in real time.

In peacetime, drone threats to Estonia and the Baltic region are stealthy, limited and aimed at shaping future conflict. In wartime, those threats would shift to being lethal, large-scale and designed to destabilize and destroy. Estonia's current investment in drone defense, the drone wall, reflects a clear recognition of this potential escalation.

Nextgov/FCW: Tell us about the concept of the Baltic Drone Wall. What kinds of capabilities will it need to have, and what missions will it be tasked with performing?

Ehasalu: Europe’s security landscape is undergoing a dramatic transformation, facing threats unlike anything seen before. These evolving dangers require advanced and forward-thinking solutions. As risks continue to rise, it’s no longer enough to simply protect borders — there must also be a focus on detecting and preventing threats before they emerge.

The drone wall will be a high-tech wall of systems, which consist of different layers of capabilities provided by radars and optical solutions, all integrated with kinetical kill systems. Unfortunately, I can’t go into specific details about the capabilities, but the system is meant to detect threats and, if needed, also has the capability to take them down.

Nextgov/FCW: How many countries are involved in the drone wall and what kind of support does the project have? Also, is there a timeline or a goal for completion?

Ehasalu: The plan is to have all three Baltic states involved with the project and also, if possible, to extend the wall to protect Poland and Finland. From the industry standpoint, we are ready to start building the capability as soon as possible once getting the political support, industry cooperation and financing.

Nextgov/FCW: The Baltic states share an Eastern border with Russia that is around 600 miles long, and that is before Poland and Finland are possibly added to that. What kinds of technologies or equipment will be needed in order to maintain a constant watch over such a long stretch of land?

Ehasalu: The terrain of the Eastern border is complex and also has complicated weather patterns, especially in the Northern region. Systems will need to use various sensors from radars and optical solutions to Counter-Unmanned Aerial System platforms. We will also need to use layered sensor systems together with enhanced mobility to allow adequate reaction against emerging threats. I think the biggest challenge is the integration of different systems so they can understand the environment and the threats the same way. 

Also, with the help of AI, detection and decision making processes will be much faster. This also makes for quicker response times.

Nextgov/FCW: What about keeping the wall from getting overloaded? We have started to see drone swarm attacks both tested and deployed. How can those be stopped by the wall?

Ehasalu: This is the reality of war, where mass can at some point become a quality of an attack. Many of the participating companies working on the drone wall project have references and experience from Ukraine. They know how to use multilayered systems with various countermeasures to ensure maximum defense against attacks.

A prototype for future defenses

While the full scope of the wall is still coming into focus, what’s already clear is that the Baltic states are taking the drone threat seriously. They are drawing a line — 600 miles of it — through forest, swamp and snow. It’s a wall that isn’t built of concrete, but instead by code. 

And as Ehasalu points out, The Baltic Drone Wall is not just a military project — it’s a warning about the future. As low-cost drones prove capable of piercing billion-dollar defenses, the frontlines of modern warfare are shifting from trenches to the skies, and from bulky tanks to tiny machines that can stealthily fly hundreds of miles to make devastating strikes without warning.

Estonia and its neighbors are not simply reacting to emerging threats; they are laying the groundwork for a new kind of deterrence, one that recognizes the changing face of conflict and responds with integrated, intelligent and adaptive defenses. And when the next war comes, their drone wall may be the difference between resilience and ruin.