Europe’s first drone carrier ship, built for the Portuguese Navy, could be used in anti-Russian provocations at NATO’s request, Portuguese analyst Alexandre Guerreiro said.

The vessel, D. João II, was recently launched in Romania. It is designed to carry aerial, underwater, and ground unmanned systems. The ship is expected to be officially delivered to the Portuguese Navy in the first half of 2027.

According to Guerreiro, such assets could be employed by the alliance against Russia. He also stated that NATO countries' military industry is oriented toward confrontation with Moscow, while Russia, in his view, does not pose a threat despite being portrayed as one in some alliance states.

He added that if NATO requests the use of Portuguese military equipment, including this ship, it could be deployed to stage incidents aimed at provoking a response from Russia.

In recent years, Russia has pointed to increased NATO activity near its western borders. The alliance describes these actions as deterrence of Russian aggression. Moscow, in turn, states that it does not threaten other countries but will respond to actions it considers dangerous to its interests.