Latvian Armed Forces commander: Latvia could gain ability to redirect drones, not just shoot them down

Drones knocked off their original course by Russian electromagnetic warfare have become a common occurrence in NATO airspace. Latvia has also experienced this, with several unmanned aerial vehicles entering its territory — two of which were successfully shot down.

A costly solution

Destroying drones by shooting them down comes with significant costs, which is why an alternative approach is gaining attention: rather than destroying a drone, taking control of it or deceiving it to redirect it away from its intended target.

The commander's explanation

Lieutenant General Kaspars Pudāns, commander of the National Armed Forces, explained on the "Kāpēc" program (Delfi TV) that it still needs to be assessed whether and how a drone that has already lost guidance could be influenced. At the same time, work is underway on technological solutions that would allow deliberately targeted drones to be redirected from their course.

Pudāns noted that such a capability remains a matter for the more distant future, but expressed confidence that Latvia has the potential to acquire similar technology. According to him, the country can certainly obtain capabilities comparable to those already demonstrated by other states in this field.