NATO Expands Air Defense to Counter Drones and Missiles

Lt. Gen. Jason Hinds, commander of USAFE and NATO Allied Air Command, describes NATO’s Enhanced Vigilance Activity (EVA) Eastern Sentry and the Standing Defense Plan 12000 to defend NATO airspace against one-way attack drones and cruise missiles, expanding multi-domain defense, improving detection and command-and-control, and moving toward cheaper interceptors and greater readiness; the plan responds to Russian hybrid incursions such as the Lithuania drone shootdown and other recent attacks, with allies increasing fighters, air-defense assets, and the use of economical missiles/rockets like APKWS across Europe.