BYDGOSZCZ, Poland – The 15th edition of the Innovation Challenge focused on a particularly urgent threat: the increasing use of glide bombs in contemporary conflict zones, especially in the ongoing war in Ukraine. The results of the Spring NATO Allied Command Transformation Innovation Challenge have been announced, naming Team Alta Ares from France as the winner for their “Embedded AI for Recognition, Detection, and Identification” submission.
Glide Bombs: A Modern Threat in a High-Intensity War
Glide bombs, which are low-cost, precision-guided munitions launched from stand-off ranges, have emerged as a significant challenge to air defence systems. In the context of Russia’s war against Ukraine, glide bombs have enabled long-range, high-volume strikes while keeping launch aircraft safely outside the reach of most front-line defences. Notably, they are deployed in large numbers, creating an immediate demand for affordable and scalable countermeasures.
What makes glide bombs especially difficult to counter is the combination of speed, low thermal profile, and the ability to saturate defence systems. Their affordability—often tens of thousands of dollars per munition—contrasts sharply with the high cost of defending against them using traditional air defence systems. This cost imbalance threatens to overwhelm even advanced air defence networks, prompting a need for NATO to explore alternatives that are agile, layered, and cost-effective.
The winning team, Alta Ares, proposed an Artificial Intelligence-enabled solution to counter glide bomb threats through early detection, rapid identification, and decision support. Originally developed for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions in Ukraine, the system uses proprietary computer vision and machine learning algorithms to analyze visual and acoustic data and other tools in identifying real-time threats. It supports two key warfighting functions: alerting troops in target zones early enough to take cover or deploy jamming systems, and enabling preemptive strikes through Artificial Intelligence-driven analysis of adversary targets. The system is platform-agnostic, lightweight, and compatible with NATO standards, integrating easily into existing sensor networks and interfaces while operating without internet access.
The Competition
With 40 submissions received from ten countries, a panel of defence experts selected the top 13 finalists to present their solutions during the final pitch event held yesterday at NATO’s Joint Force Training Centre. These presentations were judged by a panel composed of subject matter experts, capability developers, and operational stakeholders from NATO commands and the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence. Three winners were selected and are expected to receive further support through NATO’s innovation ecosystem.
Team TYTAN Technologies GmbH, from Germany, was chosen as the second-place winners and team ATREYD from France ranked third.
The finalists showcased the cutting edge of counter-glide-bomb innovation, presenting a diverse array of technologies and approaches. From AI-powered interceptors and swarm drones to advanced radar systems, acoustic detection arrays, and electronic warfare capabilities, each project tackled the challenge of detecting, disrupting, or neutralizing glide bombs in creative and operationally relevant ways. These innovations not only demonstrate promising solutions to a fast-evolving threat on modern battlefields but also underscore the value of international collaboration in strengthening NATO’s layered air defence and resilience against saturation attacks.
The 2025 Innovation Challenge: Diverse Paths to a Shared Goal
The finalists of this Innovation Challenge offered an impressive range of ideas, highlighting the creativity and technical depth within NATO’s broader innovation ecosystem. While each submission proposed a distinct concept, several broad themes emerged:
- Diverse Detection Strategies
Several teams tackled the detection problem with innovative technologies designed to overcome the limitations of conventional radar. Some solutions employed passive acoustic arrays, using microphone beamforming (which allows a system to “listen” or “speak” more effectively by focusing its energy where it’s needed most) and AI-driven sound analysis to detect the unique audio signatures of glide bombs. Others introduced passive radar concepts to avoid revealing friendly positions—an especially important consideration near contested front lines.
More traditional active radar systems were also proposed, including compact Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radars (an advanced radar system) and 4D beam-steering units. These systems were often mounted on highly mobile platforms to enable rapid deployment and minimal exposure time. A few proposals even combined radar with computer vision or infrared tracking, using AI to fuse sensor data in real time for improved accuracy.
- Interceptors: Drones, Missiles, and Everything In Between
On the neutralization side, teams presented a spectrum of kinetic interceptors. These included high-speed drones, miniature missile systems, and even interceptor swarms that form dynamic aerial “walls” to destroy incoming munitions.
One notable concept involved a container-based drone launch platform that deployed up to 200 autonomous First-Person View (FPV) drones, each optimized for agility, minimal payload weight, and collective AI coordination. Another solution featured a low-cost spin-stabilized drone interceptor, using a proprietary electric propulsion system and passive Radio Frequency or Elector-Optical/Infrared seekers for precision targeting.
Other teams proposed modular interceptor vehicles, some carrying expendable “kill vehicles” designed to loiter and engage multiple targets in sequence. These systems often prioritized affordability and sustainability, with several teams citing per-interceptor costs significantly below that of a single glide bomb.
- Electronic Warfare and Non-Kinetic Disruption
Recognizing that not every threat must be physically intercepted, several submissions emphasized electronic warfare methods as either a primary or complementary layer. Solutions included Global Navigation Satellite System spoofing techniques, designed to mislead glide bombs into veering off course or crashing before reaching their targets. Some systems specifically targeted Russian satellite navigation (GLONASS) while ensuring resilience against counter-countermeasures like CRPA (Controlled Radiation Pattern Antenna) jamming protection.
One system, already tested in combat conditions, employed intelligent jamming algorithms enhanced by AI-based deployment planning. This approach had demonstrably reduced glide bomb strike frequency in operational settings, indicating strong real-world potential.
Other proposals focused on microwave weapons capable of physically disabling onboard electronics from a distance, providing a high-speed, low-visibility means of neutralization without reliance on explosive interceptors.
- AI and Automation at the Core
Nearly every finalist leveraged AI-driven decision support, threat classification, or sensor fusion. Some used advanced spiking neural networks and neuromorphic vision to recognize and track threats with sub-second responsiveness. Others embedded AI in their command-and-control nodes, enabling autonomous detection and engagement with human-in-the-loop oversight for validation and override.
In many proposals, this automation was framed as a necessary response to the cognitive burden placed on operators during high-saturation attacks. These tools not only improved performance but also reduced training requirements and enabled faster deployment cycles.
Looking Ahead
The 15th NATO Innovation Challenge demonstrated that novel ideas—ranging from disruptive low-cost interceptors to advanced AI-augmented jamming systems—are not only possible, but increasingly necessary in the evolving threat environment. While the challenge itself does not award direct funding, top solutions may be connected with NATO capability developers, procurement agencies, or technical evaluation programs.
These solutions will now be evaluated for potential follow-on collaboration, prototyping, and field testing.
The NATO Innovation Challenge, launched in 2017 by Allied Command Transformation, continues to serve as a catalyst for discovering novel, cost-effective solutions to the Alliance’s most pressing operational problems. Held twice annually, each iteration of the challenge centers on a unique problem set and invites submissions from across NATO and partner nations, including startups, academic institutions, defence contractors, and research organizations.
