Baltic Drone Wall / Baltic Defence Line

The Baltic Drone Wall, part of the broader Baltic Defence Line initiative by Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, aims to create a high-tech defense network along hundreds of miles of borders with Russia and Belarus to detect, track, intercept, and neutralize hostile drones using radars, electro-optical systems, electronic warfare, kinetic interceptors, and AI-powered surveillance, enhancing NATO's eastern flank deterrence. As of 2025, Estonia has begun prototype deployment with over $12 million invested, while full implementation is planned to start in 2026 with initial operational capability by late 2026 and full functionality by 2028; it involves coordination with Poland and potentially Finland. From a defense-intelligence perspective, it provides defense in depth against hybrid threats, enables real-time data sharing with NATO, shapes the battlespace to delay incursions, and draws on Ukraine's drone warfare experience for resilience against swarms and proliferated UAVs.