NATO’s DiBaX 2026 in Latvia: 5G, Counter-Drone and AI Targeting Tested on One Network
Trials run by NATO’s Allied Command Transformation (ACT) in Latvia under the DiBaX 2026 banner tested 5G communications, layered counter-drone defense and AI-assisted targeting on a single digital backbone between October 19 and 30. The final demonstration took place on October 30, with core activity centered at the Ādaži military training area and some tests broadcast from the Sēlija range.
Hosted by Latvia’s Ministry of Defence and armed forces, the trials drew participants from Latvia, Lithuania, Germany, the United States, Canada and Finland, alongside several NATO bodies and industry representatives. Latvian firm LMT Defence acted as technology integrator, coordinating more than 60 companies and organizations; Nokia, Ericsson and Thales were among the named participants. NATO’s Communications and Information Agency (NCIA) presented its spectrum-management tool, Spectrum Broker.
Digital backbone: 5G and resilient communications
The first strand of testing centered on network slicing — carving out a private 5G segment on the host nation’s commercial mobile infrastructure for secure command, control and data transmission. Resilience was tested by switching between communication methods: radio frequency, satellite links, direct 5G device connections and troposcatter links. The trials also tested passive object detection using 5G infrastructure, particularly in dense urban settings, and the fusion of electro-optical, infrared and radar sensors.
LCI-X: a layered counter-drone architecture
The second strand was LCI-X, the Layered Counter-UAS Initiative, aimed at linking sensors, command-and-control systems and neutralization assets from different sources into one defensive architecture. A .50-caliber weapon system tied into the network attempted to intercept a drone but fell short of the expected result. At Sēlija, footage showed an interceptor drone with automated approach capability; an explosion was observed, and the presenter said the neutralization had likely succeeded, though no technical confirmation was given. Manually piloted FPV drones were also demonstrated. A separate electronic-warfare simulation showed how jamming could stop a drone from completing its mission without physical destruction. The Spectrum Broker tool was presented as a way to coordinate the electromagnetic spectrum and shield priority communications from interference. An unmanned ground vehicle demonstrated ammunition resupply, relaying its position, imagery and assigned tasks through the digital infrastructure.
NGT: AI-assisted targeting
The third component, Next Generation Targeting (NGT), aimed to speed up the sharing of target information and coordinate decisions across command levels. In the scenario, a national system sent target data to NATO, the Maven platform supported target development, and the relevant command validated it before the data returned to the national system. AI agents made systems from different nations and alliance members interoperable without manual data transfer. Organizers said the entire process took five minutes. In a simulated strike sequence, the attack order was transmitted at 11:12; organizers later said possible interference occurred and they could not confirm whether the target was hit.
“Not everything works, and that’s why we’re here”
The final demonstration was built around a scenario simulating a fictional conflict on NATO’s eastern flank, including an enemy invasion and a simulated activation of Article 5. Organizers said some conditions — altitude, attack profile, timing — were adjusted to make the tests easier to observe. Use cases also covered situations below the collective-defense threshold, such as drone incursions and incidents involving undersea cables in the Baltic Sea.
A NATO official, noting the weapon system had performed better on earlier days, said: “Not everything works, and that is what we are here to find out: what works and what needs to evolve.” Describing the AI-supported targeting process, another NATO presenter said simply: “This entire process has taken five minutes.” Ingmārs Pūķis, vice president and board member of LMT, summed up the company’s role as letting different technologies talk to one another even under jamming or disruption.
Why NATO’s eastern flank is paying attention
DiBaX 2026 is a concrete test of NATO’s effort to fold 5G connectivity, sensor fusion, layered counter-drone defense and AI-assisted targeting into one operational framework. In the organizers’ own framing, the goal was not simply to showcase technology but to identify what works, what needs improvement, and how it can be folded into military capability. Trials of this kind in the Baltic region matter directly for member states on the alliance’s eastern flank; the counter-drone and resilient-communications capabilities being tested overlap closely with threat types seen across NATO’s territory, including the Black Sea.
Sources
- Infodefensa, “La OTAN conecta redes 5G, sensores y sistemas antidrones durante las pruebas de DiBaX 2026 en Letonia,” October 31, 2026 — read the article (factual basis, quotes and technical detail drawn from this source).
