NATO reveals how it tracks Russian planes and refueling stations

Speaking at the NATO-Ukraine Defense Innovators Forum at AGH University in Krakow, Poland, the senior official pledged to strengthen cooperation with Kiev, through a new agreement on “battlefield innovation” that is about to be implemented.

“The energy for greater collaboration between Ukrainian and Allied innovation ecosystems is contagious and is precisely why Allies and Ukraine are working together on a new innovation agreement within the NATO-Ukraine Council,” said Van Weel.

As an example of integrating different AI solutions, he said NATO uses it to analyze satellite imagery to track and count Russian aircraft and refueling stations. The assistant secretary general said using AI in such a way is consistent with NATO’s principles on the ethical use of AI.

In recent months, Ukraine has reportedly stepped up its efforts to attack Russian airfields, both near combat zones and deep inside the country. Moscow also appears to have significantly expanded its use of frontline aviation, primarily to launch airborne bombs equipped with Unified Guidance and Lifting Wing (UMPK) modules.

Several Ukrainian military sources have noted Russia's increasing use of UMPK-equipped bombs, attributing the problems on the front line to the effectiveness of these weapons.

The UMPK modules, widely seen as similar to the US-made Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM), are compatible with most of the free-fall bombs in Russia’s arsenal. They are regularly upgraded with cluster munitions and thermobaric bombs, which have been documented in frontline use.