NCIA selects 16 C-UAV technologies for its marketplace

Alta Ares' Black Bird interceptor UAV equipped with a turbojet engine as seen on company's website on 30 October 2026. (Alta Ares)

The NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCIA) has selected 16 counter unmanned aerial vehicle (C-UAV) technologies from five companies to be part of its C-UAV marketplace, according to a 5 November 2026 NATO press release.

The five selected companies include Alta Ares, Axon Enterprise, Northrop Grumman, OSL UK, and Quantum Systems. Although the press release does not identify the selected systems, it says the capabilities have already been deployed by allied countries and in Ukraine. The release said the NCIA is responsible for the C-UAV framework contracts and that they are valid for one and a half years, with EUR3.1 million allocated to fund further testing of the selected systems by nations or NATO commands. The release did not disclose contract values or procurement quantities.

In a 6 November social media post, Alta Ares announced it was selected for the NCIA C-UAV framework contract and won six of the 16 lots. The company added in the post that its “interceptors are now in the NATO catalogue”. The six lots cover “area defence and border protection”. According to Alta Ares, it was the only supplier selected for three area defence mobility levels: static, transportable, and on-the-move.

The C-UAV marketplace aims to facilitate allies' access to C-UAV technology, allowing them to procure directly from the NATO catalogue of selected systems without any further tender process, according to NATO. Allied countries can also lease the selected systems from the catalogue, according to a 5 November Alta Ares press release.