Lithuania advocates for establishing a "drone fence" along the border with Belarus once more.
The idea of a drone wall system along the eastern border of NATO, proposed to enhance defense, is currently under discussion. This initiative, championed by Andrius Kubilius, the EU Commissioner for Defense, aims to bolster border surveillance and deter potential threats.
In May 2023, Lithuania and neighbouring countries agreed in principle to develop a drone wall, focusing on UAVs and anti-drone systems to combat smuggling and hostile actions. However, in March 2024, funding for this project was denied by the European Union, indicating financial and political challenges remain.
Recently, in July 2025, Kubilius reiterated the need for this system, urging the inclusion of drone-based technologies alongside physical border defenses. He emphasised the importance of preparing for mass production of unmanned aerial systems to protect against incursions like the Russian-made drone that breached Lithuanian airspace in mid-2025.
While there is strong political will and public support for a robust and deterrent drone system, concrete steps towards operational deployment or mass production are yet to be realised. No specific defense companies have been reported as actively developing or producing the drone wall technology.
German company Helsing, specialising in artificial intelligence for defense, has proposed a drone wall system. Gundbert Scherf, the co-founder and director of Helsing, suggests that the drone wall could serve as an "intelligent barrier," replacing minefields. According to Scherf, the drone wall should consist of reconnaissance and strike drones, recognition systems, and satellites.
However, an incident last week on Lithuania's border with Belarus highlighted the need for such a system. A small, homemade drone crossed the Belarus-Lithuania border, leading to the evacuation of high-ranking Lithuanian officials to bomb shelters due to an unidentified object entering Lithuanian airspace. This incident raised questions about Lithuania's readiness to defend against such threats and its capabilities to do so.
Kubilius believes that the creation of a drone wall requires not only the production and storage of drones but also the training and preparation of specialist groups. Despite the challenges, the drone wall remains a proposed and politically supported concept for the EU's eastern border, especially by Lithuania and the Baltic states. However, it has faced funding challenges and is still in the planning and advocacy stages without clear operational deployment or major defense company involvement reported as of July 2025.
What about the funding for the drone wall system in the EU's eastern border? War-and-conflicts could escalate if a solution isn't found soon, considering recent incidents like the homemade drone that crossed Lithuania's border with Belarus. Politics and general news suggest that the drone wall remains a proposal with strong political will but faces funding challenges and is yet to see concrete steps towards operational deployment or major defense company involvement.
