Alpine Eagle’s C-UAS Technology Undergoes Trials with Ukrainian Armed Forces

Alpine Eagle has completed a series of trials of its air-to-air counter-unmanned aircraft system (C-UAS) technology with the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Following a successful field test, the European defence technology company has been invited back for further collaboration, with plans for deeper engagement in Ukraine over the longer term.

Alpine Eagle has developed what it calls the world’s first air-to-air counter-drone system, which includes software that uses machine learning, advanced sensors, and computer vision to detect, classify, and neutralize hostile drones. This system, known as Sentinel, is an air-to-air sensor and interceptor network with high levels of automation and data fusion, allowing a defensive swarm of airborne sensors and interceptors to be controlled by a single operator.

The company’s C-UAS technology was rigorously tested in-country, and its effectiveness was demonstrated in what Alpine Eagle describes as the “most important operational theatre for autonomous technology and European security that exists today.” The trial was of strategic importance because Ukraine provides a critical testing ground for autonomous defense technology, offering invaluable feedback on operational effectiveness in weeks rather than months. According to the company, this feedback is especially vital because Russia is deploying hundreds of drones a day in Ukraine, and this intensity provides direct, actionable feedback on what works best.

Jan-Hendrik Boelens, co-founder and CEO at Alpine Eagle, stated, “Ukraine has a clear and pressing need for effective, scalable, and mobile C-UAS capabilities that can effectively integrate into their force structure. The war in Ukraine has driven so much of the development of drone technology, and any European UAS or C-UAS company needs to be able to demonstrate its product in Ukraine, because ultimately, Ukraine’s security is Europe’s security. Ukrainians deserve to live in a country that’s peaceful and secure, so being able to help them reach that goal is the single most important thing we could be doing right now.”

While specific details of future trials remain confidential for operational security reasons, additional testing phases are being planned. This trial is the latest milestone in a significant year for Alpine Eagle, during which the company secured €10.25 million in seed funding, worked with the British and US armed forces as part of Project Vanaheim, and opened its first international office in the UK.