--- title: “Western forces are many, many cycles behind” description: Ukraine has pushed drone engineering and battlefield adaptation down to platoon level. Soldiers speaking directly from the frontline warned an audience in Trondheim that Western forces risk falling behind unless they learn to adapt at the same speed. image: https://www.nordsec-cluster.no/hubfs/NOUKR%20tech%20meetup%20med%20sladd.jpg --- [![NORDSEC-logo](https://www.nordsec-cluster.no/hs-fs/hubfs/Nordsec_logo_and_tag_white_side_pb_oransj.png?width=300&height=100&name=Nordsec_logo_and_tag_white_side_pb_oransj.png "NORDSEC-logo")](https://www.nordsec-cluster.no/?hsLang=en) - [News](https://www.nordsec-cluster.no/en/news) - Events - [Forsvarskonferansen - NORDSEC Defence and Security Conference](https://www.nordsec-conference.no/) - [NORDSEC events](https://www.nordsec-cluster.no/events) - Members - [Members](https://www.nordsec-cluster.no/members) - [Membership](https://www.nordsec-cluster.no/membership) - [Forsvarskonferansen](https://www.nordsec-conference.no/) - About NORDSEC - [Contact](https://www.nordsec-conference.no/contact) - [Newsletter](https://www.nordsec-cluster.no/newsletter) - [Test facilities](https://testination.io/) [![Nordsec\_logo\_and\_tag\_white\_side\_pb\_oransj-1](https://www.nordsec-cluster.no/hs-fs/hubfs/Nordsec_logo_and_tag_white_side_pb_oransj-1.png?width=240&height=73&name=Nordsec_logo_and_tag_white_side_pb_oransj-1.png "Nordsec_logo_and_tag_white_side_pb_oransj-1")](https://www.nordsec-cluster.no/?hsLang=en) [![NORDSEC-logo](https://www.nordsec-cluster.no/hs-fs/hubfs/Nordsec_logo_and_tag_white_side_pb_oransj.png?width=300&height=100&name=Nordsec_logo_and_tag_white_side_pb_oransj.png "NORDSEC-logo")](https://www.nordsec-cluster.no/?hsLang=en) - [News](https://www.nordsec-cluster.no/en/news) - Events - [Forsvarskonferansen - NORDSEC Defence and Security Conference](https://www.nordsec-conference.no/) - [NORDSEC events](https://www.nordsec-cluster.no/events) - Members - [Members](https://www.nordsec-cluster.no/members) - [Membership](https://www.nordsec-cluster.no/membership) - [Forsvarskonferansen](https://www.nordsec-conference.no/) - About NORDSEC - [Contact](https://www.nordsec-conference.no/contact) - [Newsletter](https://www.nordsec-cluster.no/newsletter) - [Test facilities](https://testination.io/) [![Nordsec\_logo\_and\_tag\_white\_side\_pb\_oransj-1](https://www.nordsec-cluster.no/hs-fs/hubfs/Nordsec_logo_and_tag_white_side_pb_oransj-1.png?width=240&height=73&name=Nordsec_logo_and_tag_white_side_pb_oransj-1.png "Nordsec_logo_and_tag_white_side_pb_oransj-1")](https://www.nordsec-cluster.no/?hsLang=en) - [News](https://www.nordsec-cluster.no/en/news) - Events - [Forsvarskonferansen - NORDSEC Defence and Security Conference](https://www.nordsec-conference.no/) - [NORDSEC events](https://www.nordsec-cluster.no/events) - Members - [Members](https://www.nordsec-cluster.no/members) - [Membership](https://www.nordsec-cluster.no/membership) - [Forsvarskonferansen](https://www.nordsec-conference.no/) - About NORDSEC - [Contact](https://www.nordsec-conference.no/contact) - [Newsletter](https://www.nordsec-cluster.no/newsletter) - [Test facilities](https://testination.io/) ## “Western forces are many, many cycles behind” [Lars Bugge Aarset](https://www.nordsec-cluster.no/en/news/author/lars-bugge-aarset) Nov 14, 2026, 8:01:26 PM **Ukraine has pushed drone engineering and battlefield adaptation down to platoon level. Soldiers speaking directly from the frontline warned an audience in Trondheim that Western forces risk falling behind unless they learn to adapt at the same speed.** Three soldiers from the 12th Special Purpose Brigade “Azov” of the National Guard of Ukraine joined the Norwegian-Ukrainian defence and dual-use tech meet-up by video link from their command posts at the frontline. The discussion was led by Anton Tabur, Head of International Partnerships at the Ukrainian Council of Defence Industry. Anton Tabur warned companies against treating battlefield feedback as knowledge with a long shelf life: > “Nowadays, the conditions on the battlefield change every day, and the same goes with the production lines, with the products produced.” He added: “Every new batch of products supplied from manufacturing differs from the batch supplied a week before.” One of the soldiers described how a heavy drone platoon had shifted from primarily conducting strikes to carrying supplies to forward infantry positions. The same aircraft could be used, but they needed modifications, including the use of satellite communications. The changes were developed in the platoon’s own engineering workshop.  > “Because it’s at platoon level, like it’s directly from our workshop, our lab, to the front line. It means we can make changes very rapidly and we get feedback directly from our guys on the ground.” Waiting for changes to pass through several levels of command was not an option: > “We cannot wait for commands to come down, to be verified, to be discussed, and for it to go sort of back and forth.” ![Norwegian-Ukrainian Defence and Dual-Use Tech Meet-up 2026 Photo Lars Bugge Aarset (9)](https://www.nordsec-cluster.no/hs-fs/hubfs/Norwegian-Ukrainian%20Defence%20and%20Dual-Use%20Tech%20Meet-up%202026%20Photo%20Lars%20Bugge%20Aarset%20(9).jpg?width=6000&height=4000&name=Norwegian-Ukrainian%20Defence%20and%20Dual-Use%20Tech%20Meet-up%202026%20Photo%20Lars%20Bugge%20Aarset%20(9).jpg) Anton Tabur, Head of International Partnerships at the Ukrainian Council of Defence Industry led the discussion with the frontline soldiers. Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Fremtidens Industri ## Rapid change, evolution and mutation Another soldier described five specialised drone laboratories within the battalion, covering FPV drones, reconnaissance, fibre optics, ground vehicles and heavy bombers. Fixed-wing and interceptor capabilities were also being added. The engineers test, repair and modify drones before they are handed to pilots. His description of the development tempo was concise: > “The theme is just rapid change, evolution, mutation.” The situation for FPV, reconnaissance, fibre-controlled and ground drones, he said, could change completely within two weeks, and would almost certainly change within six months. Conditions could also vary significantly between units operating only 50 or 100 kilometres apart.  ![Norwegian-Ukrainian Defence and Dual-Use Tech Meet-up 2026 Photo Lars Bugge Aarset (77)](https://www.nordsec-cluster.no/hs-fs/hubfs/Norwegian-Ukrainian%20Defence%20and%20Dual-Use%20Tech%20Meet-up%202026%20Photo%20Lars%20Bugge%20Aarset%20(77).jpg?width=6000&height=4000&name=Norwegian-Ukrainian%20Defence%20and%20Dual-Use%20Tech%20Meet-up%202026%20Photo%20Lars%20Bugge%20Aarset%20(77).jpg) Alberts Spila CSO and co-founder presenting solutions from Ukrainean-Latvian drone company DK Nejet. Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Fremtidens Industri ## Fibre drones show how quickly the equation changes Fibre-controlled drones were presented as a clear example of one technological cycle. > “At the start of the year, fiber optic drones were the panacea, the golden cure for all problems with regards to drones.” The soldier said he had been told that Ukraine struck Russia’s only fibre-optic factory around December or January, after which Russia began sourcing fibre from China. According to his account, the price rose from approximately 6–7 Euro per kilometre to around 60 within one month, before settling at about 30. The operational consequences were immediate: > “This severely affected the ability of many units to conduct fiber drone missions.” Some units shifted towards alternatives including Starlink, repeaters and less common radio frequencies. Fibre length also became part of the tactical calculation. A spool prepared for a target 15 kilometres away could become inadequate if the target moved to 25 kilometres, while using a 30-kilometre spool against a target only five kilometres away could waste a scarce and expensive resource. ![Norwegian-Ukrainian Defence and Dual-Use Tech Meet-up 2026 Photo Lars Bugge Aarset (12)-1](https://www.nordsec-cluster.no/hs-fs/hubfs/Norwegian-Ukrainian%20Defence%20and%20Dual-Use%20Tech%20Meet-up%202026%20Photo%20Lars%20Bugge%20Aarset%20(12)-1.jpg?width=6000&height=4000&name=Norwegian-Ukrainian%20Defence%20and%20Dual-Use%20Tech%20Meet-up%202026%20Photo%20Lars%20Bugge%20Aarset%20(12)-1.jpg) Three soldiers from the 12th Special Purpose Brigade “Azov” of the National Guard of Ukraine joined the Norwegian-Ukrainian defence and dual-use tech meet-up by video link live from their command posts at the frontline. Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Fremtidens Industri ## A frequency can become unusable in a week Electronic warfare creates the same pressure. The soldier described how a frequency that worked for FPV drones one week had become saturated by electronic warfare in his area. Engineers then faced replacing more than 200 antennas, sometimes purchasing components with their own money. Yet drone units only 50 kilometres away could continue using the same frequency without difficulty. This is why engineering capacity must remain close to the users: > “They need to be as close to the frontlines as possible, and in direct communication with drone teams and commanders to solve these problems.” The laboratories also need authority to buy everything from screws and wires to specialised high-tech components, with delivery measured in days: > “We need to get them delivered here to us within days, usually like 48 hours or less.” ![Norwegian-Ukrainian Defence and Dual-Use Tech Meet-up 2026 Photo Lars Bugge Aarset (65)](https://www.nordsec-cluster.no/hs-fs/hubfs/Norwegian-Ukrainian%20Defence%20and%20Dual-Use%20Tech%20Meet-up%202026%20Photo%20Lars%20Bugge%20Aarset%20(65).jpg?width=6000&height=4000&name=Norwegian-Ukrainian%20Defence%20and%20Dual-Use%20Tech%20Meet-up%202026%20Photo%20Lars%20Bugge%20Aarset%20(65).jpg) Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Fremtidens Industri ## Can NATO replicate the system? The soldier then turned the question towards Western defence organisations: > “How quickly could NATO replicate this same system and at the same scale?” His conclusion gives the article its title: “So I would argue that Western forces are many, many cycles behind.” The warning is not that NATO lacks access to drones. It is that Ukraine has built a system where operational feedback, engineering, procurement and deployment can happen at battalion, company and platoon level. Anton Tabur drew the industry lesson: > “It is impossible to be a Western company supplying something to Ukraine without being present on the ground, without being in constant exchange 24/7 with militaries which are using your product.” The real gap is therefore not between individual products. It is between development systems. Ukraine is modifying equipment in days and receiving components within 48 hours. The question for NATO is not whether it can acquire the latest solution, but whether it can change quickly enough when that solution is already outdated. ### About the event The Norwegian-Ukrainian defence and dual-use tech meet-up brought frontline representatives together with Ukrainian and Nordic defence and technology companies, investors and organisations in Trondheim. NORDSEC organised the event together with Radionor Communications, SpareBank 1 SMN, the Ukrainian Council of Defence Industry and Fremtidens Industri. 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