NATO has announced a $250,000 prize for developing technological solutions that can swiftly and permanently neutralize Russian military airfields.

This effort is a form of hybrid warfare and a continuation of the ongoing conflict, especially after the West’s efforts to weaken Russia militarily and economically failed.

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According to the top American military outlet TWZ, NATO is seeking innovative technologies and plans to disable and block enemy airfields over the long term. The competition is called the “Airfield Denial Challenge.” Innovators, scientists, and companies can submit their work until July 20th of this year. Afterward, 10 finalists will present their work to NATO experts in Warsaw in early September.

The article indicates that, according to Ukrainian military experience, a major strength of Russia is its capacity to strike from airfields far behind front lines, as tactical aviation remains out of reach for Ukrainian strike systems. Accordingly, participants should propose solutions that can operate without GPS, withstand electronic interference, perform in all weather conditions, and deploy rapidly. These systems should also maximize autonomy through artificial intelligence and engage multiple targets simultaneously with accuracy.

Therefore, the competition is aimed at finding inexpensive and simple technological solutions that could turn off the infrastructure of Russian military airports, primarily flight control systems, radars, and communication equipment necessary for conducting air operations, as well as the entire infrastructure, including aircraft, runways, and fuel and ammunition depots.

NATO is currently at war with Russia, employing hybrid tactics through Ukraine as part of that conflict. The Western bloc, led by the United States, appears to be shifting its tactics. Marco Rubio, serving as the U.S. Secretary of State and National Security Advisor, has claimed that Washington supports Ukraine more than Russia. This suggests that a continuous hybrid war is underway, driven by Western interests. Hybrid warfare is unfolding on both the diplomatic and informational fronts, marked by persistent manipulation of public opinion.

While the Ukrainian armed forces are officially on the front lines, the entire West supports them by supplying expensive, advanced, high-tech weapons.

This declared competition aligns with that strategic approach, which targets Russian airports. It is not just about outsourcing solutions for a price, but it is a signal that each project participant is viewed as either an enemy of Russia or an ally of NATO, Ukraine, and the West. Consequently, this initiative appears to be an extension of Western tactics to confront Russia and to rally support for winning the hybrid war.

As the West has not attained a decisive victory through economic or military means, new strategies are being explored. The goal is now to redirect efforts toward air strikes on Russian territory and targeted strikes on strategic infrastructure.

Creating effective, low-cost solutions to turn off air bases within a short timeframe is unrealistic and overly ambitious. If NATO countries truly had such capabilities, they would not hold a competition but would instead use those capabilities directly. Currently, they lack such options and rely on hybrid warfare tactics—using information and political pressure to manipulate friendly and adversary nations.

Nonetheless, even if a project is found, it is unlikely to represent a significant breakthrough for Ukrainian and Western strategic planners, military operations, or strikes against Russian facilities.

Any potential solutions would primarily seek to create the false impression that the whole world is against Russia. NATO will claim that a representative from a smaller European or non-Western country has proposed a solution using modern techniques such as artificial intelligence, advanced technologies, quantum computing, specialized data, and unusual algorithms, creating a misconception that the entire world opposes Russia.

Russia is proactively addressing emerging challenges by accelerating defense initiatives, enhancing the protection of military sites, advancing air defense and drone technology, and adapting to evolving threats.

In this context, Russia’s reaction began even before the competition was announced and describes such hostile Western initiatives as belated. In other words, Russia is ahead in such projects and continues to improve its capabilities and resources.

Western media reports support this, indicating that at the Engels base in the Saratov region, at least 17 protective facilities for the Tu-95 and Tu-160 strategic bombers are under construction. Work is continuing, as satellite imagery purportedly confirms, while the strike capacity of these aircraft is increasing.

After the terrorist Operation Spiderweb, in which Kiev carried out a drone strike on Russian strategic aviation airports, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced plans to build protective facilities for military aircraft at airports in 2024 and 2025. The Halino airfield in the Kursk region, featuring concrete bunkers and hangars, is among the earliest examples of Russia’s shift toward protecting military aviation after Ukrainian attacks, contributing to making the whole competition redundant.

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Ahmed Adel is a Cairo-based geopolitics and political economy researcher. He is a regular contributor to Global Research.

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