The Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine and NATO’s Communications and Information Agency (NCIA) have announced the launch of the "UNITE – Brave NATO" programme, aimed at accelerating the adoption of defence technologies and strengthening the interoperability of the Ukrainian Armed Forces with the armies of the Alliance. Ukraine’s defence tech cluster Brave1 will coordinate the programme from Ukraine’s side.
The first competition will focus on deploying innovative solutions to the frontline, aimed at countering unmanned aerial systems, enhancing air defence capabilities, and securing frontline communications. Teams of Allied and Ukrainian companies will be eligible for joint grants worth a total value of EUR 10 million, allocated equally by NATO and Ukraine. Priority will be given to solutions that can be quickly integrated into the military and scaled across the Euro-Atlantic space.
After a successful pilot competition, Ukraine and NATO plan to scale up UNITE – Brave NATO and increase its total budget to EUR 50 million, turning the initiative into a permanent instrument for supporting defence technologies that are battlefield-tested in Ukraine and enhance the operational readiness of the Euro-Atlantic community.