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From international collaborations to the ambition for domestic production - Albania and the new era of drones

2026-04-25 15:57:03Aktualitet SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX

From international collaborations to the ambition for domestic production -

At a time when security in Europe and the Middle East is being reshaped by the massive use of drones, Albania is trying to move from a consumer of military technology to a productive actor within this new ecosystem.

In Parliament, Defense Minister Ermal Nufi articulated one of the clearest statements to date on the direction Albanian defense policy is taking: creating domestic capacities for the production of combat drones and building a new military industrial infrastructure in cooperation with state partners.

According to him, the goal is not only to modernize the Air Force, but also to train a new generation of Albanian pilots and develop advanced military technologies in the country's territory.

"We are creating in Albania the opportunity for our boys and girls to be educated and become pilots in the Air Force," said Nufi, adding that a key part of the strategy is related to a state-to-state agreement with Israel for the production of state-of-the-art drones, tested in real conflicts.

His statement describes a clear change of philosophy in this spectrum: from the purchase of military equipment to co-production and technology transfer, with the aim of Albania remaining not only a user, but also a participant in the security production chain.

An industry that is being built in parallel with the new security doctrine

Underlying these developments is a broader regional and global dynamic. The war in Ukraine has transformed the way NATO and regional states conceive of defense, placing drone technology at the center of military strategies.

Albania, according to various international arms transfer data, has already begun equipping itself with such systems, including drones classified as "kamikazes", known for their ability to stay in the air and strike strategic targets with high precision.

These systems, manufactured in Turkey, constitute only one part of the broader mosaic of Albanian military modernization, which also includes armored vehicles and new equipment for special units and the State Police.

But what distinguishes the current phase is the ambition to build production capacity itself, not just to buy ready-made technology.

From international collaborations to the ambition for domestic production

In this regard, Albania has opened several channels of cooperation. In addition to reported agreements with Israeli companies for the supply and production of drones, the involvement of regional actors such as Kosovo and Croatia in the development of the Albanian military drone industry has also been discussed.

This external interest suggests that the project is no longer seen solely as a national initiative, but as part of a broader defense ecosystem in the Western Balkans, where states are increasingly actively positioning themselves in the military technology market.

At the same time, the region is experiencing an increase in strategic parallels: Serbia is developing new units with attack drones and loitering munitions, while NATO countries are increasing investments in counter-drones and air defense.

In this context, Albania is trying to place itself on the productive side of the equation.

Defense economics and the new industrial policy

Prime Minister Edi Rama has signaled earlier that the country aims to build a domestic military industry that includes the production of drones, military vehicles and even uniforms, linking this sector with public-private partnerships and international exports.

In this vision, the state is not only a buyer, but also a shareholder and economic beneficiary of the defense industry.

In parallel, Albania is seeking deeper integration into the Euro-Atlantic security architecture, even though it still remains outside of some of the European Union's financial mechanisms for rearmament, which is pushing the country towards bilateral cooperation and joint industrial projects.

A new technological race in the Balkans

Developments in Albania cannot be read in isolation. They are taking place in a region where drone technology has become a central element of military doctrines, while political rivalries are increasingly taking on technological form.

From Ukraine to the Middle East, drones have become a symbol of the new modern warfare – fast, decentralized, and driven by Artificial Intelligence.

In this landscape, Minister Nufi's statements are not simply a political announcement, but a signal that Albania aims to be placed within this new paradigm, not on its periphery.

The transformation being articulated in Albanian defense policy is, in essence, a shift from the import of security to its production.

If these projects materialize, Albania will not only be a user of drone technology, but an actor that aims to participate in its development and export.

In a world where military power is increasingly measured in algorithms, sensors and autonomous systems, the decision to invest in this direction is no longer just military - it is strategic, economic and political at the same time. (AP)


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