Air dominance: an increasingly contested challenge

Translated by Federico Emanuele

Air dominance: an increasingly contested challenge

The sky is no longer the exclusive domain of major military powers. Today, the number of state and non-state actors capable of developing, acquiring, or deploying aerial and missile capabilities is continuously growing. Advanced sensors, command, control, communication, and information (C3I) systems, drones, and long-range missiles are transforming the airspace into an increasingly contested battlefield.

Faced with these challenges, NATO has developed an Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) architecture to protect the territory, populations, and forces of the Alliance. This exclusively defensive approach considers threats from all directions, at any speed and altitude, covering scenarios ranging from peacetime to crises and conflict.

NATO’s strategy: surveillance and multi-layered defense

NATO’s IAMD operates 24/7, integrating surveillance, active and passive defense measures, and deterrence capabilities. The architecture is designed to counter aerial and missile threats through a multi-domain approach, ensuring operational continuity even against non-kinetic attacks, such as cyberattacks or electronic warfare.

Active defense is structured into two main operational areas:

• Airborne Air Defense, which includes fighter jets, armed helicopters, early warning systems, and aerial refueling, capable of operating in all weather conditions.
• Ground-Based Air and Missile Defense, which employs a combination of short, medium, and long-range systems, both land and sea-based, capable of countering drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles, including hypersonic ones.

At the same time, passive defense reduces the vulnerability of critical infrastructure through reinforcement, camouflage, concealment, and dispersion techniques. NATO supports the implementation of these measures by providing early warning of aerial and missile attacks.

A new front: the threat of Class I UAS

One of the emerging challenges is the threat posed by Class I Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), which are unmanned aerial vehicles weighing less than 150 kg. These drones, inexpensive and easily accessible, are reshaping the air security landscape, making the adoption of new interception and neutralization strategies essential. To address this threat, on February 13, during the NATO Defense Ministers’ meeting, the Allies launched two multinational initiatives:

• Solutions against low-altitude threats: fifteen member countries, including Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Turkey, and the United Kingdom, have decided to invest in more efficient systems to counter threats operating below 150 meters in altitude.
• Passive aerial surveillance project: The development of technologies for acoustic and non-radar signal detection will allow the identification of threats that evade traditional surveillance systems. 

Among the most innovative solutions for airspace protection are:

• Short-range air defense (SHORAD) systems: tools like the U.S. Avenger system, equipped with Stinger missiles, radar, high-power lasers, and precision sensors, provide a rapid response against drones and light aircraft.
• Specialized radar for low-altitude threats: devices like Saab’s Giraffe 1X, designed to track objects flying close to the ground, enhance detection capabilities. 
• Acoustic detection: technologies based on sensitive microphones can identify silent drones or threats that evade radar. Systems such as Acoustic Radar use highly sensitive microphones and acoustic sensor arrays to detect noises produced by drone or low-flying aircraft engines. These systems can provide a precise estimate of the aircraft’s position, even in environments where radar surveillance is difficult or ineffective. In some cases, acoustic sensors are combined with other detection techniques, such as infrared sensors, to improve effectiveness. For example, an acoustic detection system can locate the noise source and then integrate this information with infrared data to confirm the threat and track its trajectory. This approach enhances accuracy in complex scenarios, such as those with interference or multiple objects producing similar sounds.

An evolving air defense

The adoption of these measures confirms NATO’s commitment to ensuring the security of Allied airspace. The integration of new technologies and interoperability among Alliance members are key elements in addressing an ever-evolving threat landscape. The battle for air dominance is now fought on multiple fronts: from technological superiority to rapid response capability, from deterrence to resilience. In a world where the sky is no longer an uncontested domain, air defense becomes a fundamental pillar of global security.

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