Europe’s Evolving C-UAS Capabilities and the Quest for a “Drone Wall”

This analysis treats the proliferation of hostile, ambiguous and criminal drone activity over European territory as a structural security problem rather than a sequence of isolated incidents. It frames drones as instruments that exploit the grey zone between peace and armed conflict, capable of probing airspace, testing political resolve and generating disproportionate disruption at low cost.

The central issue is not only the technical challenge of detecting and neutralising unmanned systems, but the strategic implication of persistent low-level violations that strain existing air surveillance doctrines, blur internal and external security boundaries, and expose gaps in Europe’s deterrence…

This analysis answers: How does hostile, ambiguous and criminal drone activity over European territory function as a structural grey-zone security problem? How does the 'drone wall' move from concept to strategic initiative and what is the technological landscape of C-UAS solutions in Europe? Which European industry actors and programmes drive C-UAS development, and what regulatory and legal hurdles obstruct a pan-European system? What gaps, requirements and strategic implications lie on the road ahead?