Portugal to Deploy Domestically Developed Combat Drones to Slovakia in NATO Operation

Portugal is deploying its first domestically developed combat drones to Slovakia as part of its NATO commitments, marking a significant milestone for the Portuguese defense industry. The Portuguese army will field two drone systems to strengthen reconnaissance and surveillance capabilities within the alliance's forces stationed in Slovakia. The drones are prototypes developed through a research and development project by Portuguese company Beyond Vision in cooperation with the Portuguese military. Slovakia hosts a NATO battlegroup — one of several multinational military formations established across Eastern Europe following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, designed to deter potential aggression. The deployment represents a key operational test for the Portuguese-made systems, giving the army its first opportunity to evaluate the drones under real-world battlefield conditions within a live NATO mission.