NATO Communications and Information Agency - Joint NATO-Ukraine Defense Innovation Competition for Counter-UAS and Air D

UNITE–Brave NATO is a joint NATO-Ukraine innovation competition procuring prototyped and tested defense technologies at Technology Readiness Levels 7–9, with the first EUR 10 million competition (funded equally by NATO and Ukraine) focusing on counter-unmanned aerial systems, air defense, and frontline communications capabilities. The NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCIA) is executing the competition by awarding innovation contracts exclusively to joint proposals from NATO member companies paired with Ukrainian vendors, with solicitation anticipated for February 9, 2026 and contract awards expected by May 29, 2026. Strategically, this represents the first NATO-Ukraine framework designed to rapidly scale battlefield-ready technologies and embed real-world operational feedback from Ukraine's ongoing conflict into NATO's defense innovation pipeline, with plans to expand funding to EUR 50 million in 2026.