Defending European Defense Companies from Russian UAVs

What does Russia's UAV campaign reveal about gray zone threats against European defense companies?

A recent report from IISS assesses that the Kremlin has been conducting a campaign of coordinated UAV incursions in European airspace since 2024, with reported activity around critical infrastructure and military logistics nodes supporting Ukraine. 

The findings point to a growing challenge for Europe's defense industry: as defense production expands, companies and the infrastructure supporting their operations are becoming more strategically important and more exposed to Russian gray zone activity. Recent cyber operations and physical sabotage against the defense sector show that this exposure extends beyond UAV activity and that commercial actors connected to defense production have become targets. 

For European defense companies, gray zone aggression is no longer solely a government or military concern. Companies need to understand how their growing geopolitical role is changing their exposure and assess strategic vulnerabilities beyond their own facilities, including the suppliers and infrastructure on which operations depend. 

Preparing for gray zone threats requires a broader understanding of where companies are exposed and how disruption could affect operations. With our partners at Desmos, we can help companies navigate these challenges and strengthen their resilience before disruption occurs. 

Read the full IISS report, "Russia's UAV Campaign Over Europe": https://www.iiss.org/research-paper/2026/06/russias-uav-campaign-over-europe/