Analysts have pointed to the recent drone incidents in Poland as evidence of NATO’s vulnerabilities in modern warfare. Experts interviewed by CNN argued that the alliance finds itself at a serious economic disadvantage when defending against low-cost aerial threats.

The problem, they explained, lies in the striking imbalance between the price of attack and defense systems. Shooting down drones valued at $10,000–20,000 with fighter jets or missile systems worth millions of dollars makes the protection effort prohibitively expensive and risks exhausting resources at a rapid pace.

According to CNN, the issue is not a lack of technology. NATO already possesses modern defensive systems, but its procurement structure has become the real barrier. Analysts described the alliance’s acquisition processes as outdated and overly bureaucratic, leaving it unable to quickly adopt cheaper, mass-produced solutions against drones. One weapons manufacturer remarked that NATO’s procurement system is still operating as if it were the 1980s.

With the rapid growth of budget drone production, NATO could struggle to sustain defense in the event of large-scale UAV attacks. Analysts warned that this raises doubts about the alliance’s ability to withstand prolonged pressure in a new phase of military confrontation, where cost-efficiency has become as critical as firepower.