NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Transformation has issued a public request, calling for proposals for a method by which Ukraine can strike airfields deep in the Russian interior.
Ukraine and NATO have announced a new initiative aimed at seeking private sector help with a persistent operational and tactical problem.
Ukraine has periodically launched well-publicized drone attacks on Russian airfields. But the Armed Forces of Ukraine have thus far proved incapable of mounting a sustainable threat to those airfields, on a level that would seriously interdict the Russian Aerospace Forces’ regular tactical operations.
Ukraine Can’t Quite Reach Russia’s Interior Airfields
The results of this failure are disastrous for Ukraine. Russian tactical aircraft routinely strike Ukrainian bases, cities, and infrastructure with relative impunity, using stand-off munitions like guided bombs and cruise missiles. They operate from air bases outside the reach of most Ukrainian weapons, including both Ukrainian fighter jets, ground-based, long-range fires such as ballistic missiles and MLRS systems, and single-unit loitering munitions. The defenders have therefore been forced to take a reactive stance, attempting to shoot down Russian aircraft and munitions inside Ukrainian territory rather than confronting them at their source.
Kyiv has taken note, as have its supporters in the West. The asymmetry between Russian and Ukrainian air operations is “one of the most consequential asymmetries in the current conflict,” according to NATO’s Headquarters Supreme Allied Commander Transformation ( SACT).
“Every airfield is a node of vulnerability,” SACT wrote, explaining the problem. “If it can be persistently denied, the adversary’s air campaign is fundamentally disrupted at the source.” Unfortunately, Ukraine’s current solutions lack the mass effect, persistence, and electronic warfare resilience to simultaneously suppress multiple targets in a contested environment.
How Can Ukraine Strike Back at a Longer Range? NATO Wonders
To meet the challenge, SACT and the Ukrainian Defense Ministry have issued a Request for Innovative Participation (RFIP) with a project title of “Persistent Airfield Denial.” The goal is to solicit private sector solutions that deliver “persistent denial of enemy airfield operations” via autonomous or operator-directed targeting of aircraft, runways, ground support infrastructure, and fuel and ordnance storage facilities.
The RFIP says the program is “technology-agnostic,” indicating a results-oriented program that can include, but is not limited to:
- Uncrewed aerial systems;
- Autonomous or semi-autonomous munitions and loitering systems;
- Swarming and mass-effect approaches;
- Alternative delivery systems (e.g. overland delivery); and
- Hybrid solutions combining multiple technologies.
Per the RFIP, all solutions must demonstrate the capability to operate in GPS-denied and electronic warfare-contested environments, in all weather and seasonal conditions, and show a path to rapid development and deployment. Any solutions requiring more than one year to deploy will not be considered.
SACT is particularly interested in systems that can strike deep into contested enemy airspace while not requiring continuous human control. These systems should be fully autonomous and be capable of simultaneously suppressing multiple aim points across an airfield. These systems should require minimal training and include AI-assisted targeting that does not rely heavily on “expert judgement.”
SACT and the Ukrainian Defense Ministry understand that submissions will not necessarily be proven at the time they are pitched but should be at least commensurate with the mid-to-upper tier of the US Department of Defense technology readiness level scale.
If You’re Interested in NATO’s Proposal, What Should You Do?
The RFIP is an innovative approach to addressing a so-far intractable problem. Much like the civilian defense industry has leaned into drone technology, that same spirit and know-how may prove useful in projecting kinetic strike assets to neutralize a clear Russian advantage. In particular, the compressed timeline demonstrates the situation’s vital significance to NATO, as well as the solicitation of proposals from a general audience.
SACT established a submission deadline for July 20. Under the terms of the RFIP, 10 finalists will be announced on August 11, with a pitch day in early September in Warsaw, Poland.
