Ukrainian Naval-Drone Commander Says Some NATO Designs Fall Short While Others Adopt Ukraine’s Lessons

NATO militaries are acquiring naval drones after observing Ukraine's success damaging and destroying Russian Black Sea Fleet warships, Business Insider reported. The campaign forced Moscow to relocate most fleet operations from occupied Crimea to the far side of the Black Sea.

A commander identified only by the call sign Ninth, who oversees a naval-drone unit in Ukraine's GUR intelligence agency, said some NATO designs make him uneasy.

"There is, of course, a common NATO security doctrine," Ninth stated. " Ninth said many NATO countries are revising doctrines to equip fleets with naval drones. He added that he often feels uneasy about the technical requirements some countries are issuing to shipbuilders and defense companies.

Shortcomings primarily concern design, system behavior, and electronics, he stated. Ukrainian naval drones have evolved from simple impact-detonation designs at the start of Russia's full-scale invasion to platforms armed with machine guns and surface-to-air missiles. Ninth attributed Ukraine's rapid adaptations to combat validation within hours rather than hypothetical testing.

"We should never forget that one working day for our engineers and programmers equals roughly 10 working days for specialists in countries that are not at war," he said. European nations have used naval drones for maritime security patrols, while the US Navy has employed them for surveillance in the Middle East.

Earlier in June 2026, a US Navy drone carried out a rescue mission after Iran shot down an American helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz.