NATO Innovation Range for Layered Counter-UAS Initiative (LCI-X)

🗓️ June 01-10, 2026 📌 Finland, Latvia

<aside> 👉

</aside>

The NATO Innovation Range Operational Experimentation for the Layered Counter-UAS Initiative (LCI-X) brings together NATO Allied Command Transformation, Allied Nations, innovative startups and scale-ups and defence industry companies in Finland and Latvia during LCI-X Crucible 2-26 event. The Crucible 2-26 is a part of a campaign (series of events) evaluating advanced C-UAS, AI and connectivity technologies in a live NATO operational experimentation environment.

We aim to identify, test and demonstrate innovative solutions that can be integrated into NATO's layered C-UAS architecture and contribute to the Alliance's decisive military advantage along the Eastern Flank.

In Finland NATO Innovation Range Operational Experimentation, as a part of the LCI-X Crucible 2-26 event, will focus on intra- and inter-cell C-UAS integration with CRC (Control and Reporting Centre) visibility. The Finnish OPEX will be connected to the Latvian execution environment through the DEFINE AI Lab infrastructure in Riihimäki.

Challenge areas

Participants will be tasked to present and demonstrate scalable operational solutions across one or more of the following focus areas: Proposed solutions should address at least one of the following focus areas:

C-UAS Detection & Sensor Fusion — radar, EW, EO/IR, acoustic; multi-source track correlation feeding the C-UAS C2 chain against Class I and II UAS
AI-Accelerated C2 & Situational Awareness — automated threat assessment, AI-driven decision support, integration with C2 and TAK/ATAK environments
Resilient Connectivity in Contested Environments — 5G/NTN tactical networks, MESH architectures, data link resilience under DDIL conditions
Unmanned System Integration (UxS/MUM-T) — UAS, UGS and sensor payloads contributing to the F2T2EA kill chain in a layered C-UAS context
C2 Interoperability — integration with NATO AirC2 and IAMD architecture (CRC/SBAMDOC, Link 16/JREAP-C)

Solutions should demonstrate interoperability with existing digital command environments and leverage technologies at least at TRL 6.

<aside> 👉

Click here to apply by April 15

</aside>