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Uncrewed Systems in the Arctic: Security, Surveillance, and NATO's Growing Role - Federico Borsari, CEPA

In this episode, Federico Borsari of the Center for European Policy Analysis explains how uncrewed systems are becoming essential for security, surveillance, and infrastructure protection in the Arctic. He outlines the shifting NATO threat picture—driven by Russia’s expanding presence, NATO’s enlarged northern borders after Finland and Sweden joined, and the vulnerability of critical infrastructure such as subsea cables and pipelines. Climate change is opening new navigation routes, further raising the strategic stakes, while drones, unmanned surface vessels, and ground robots provide persistent, networked ISR capabilities across air, sea, and land. Borsari argues that NATO should prioritize long‑endurance maritime unmanned platforms to create a layered sensor network that delivers continuous situational awareness.