NATO Taps Accenture and Leonardo for Seven‑Year Cybersecure Enterprise Program

Accenture has signed a €200 million, seven‑year contract with NATO’s Communications and Information Agency (NCIA) to deliver the Protected Business Network (PBN), a secure, cloud‑enabled digital backbone for the Alliance. Partnering with Leonardo, the initiative will modernize NATO’s IT infrastructure, strengthen cyber resilience, and support 29,000 users across the Alliance.

The NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCIA) is NATO’s technological and cyber capability hub, delivering, operating and defending the digital capabilities that enable the Alliance to communicate, plan, decide and act securely and at speed. With more than 3,800 civilian and military specialists spread across 30 sites in Europe and North America, NCIA serves as NATO’s digital backbone, linking political leaders, strategic command, and Allied forces.

Accenture and Leonardo will design, implement and operate the core PBN platform across a multi-cloud environment provided by NCIA, supporting the progressive deployment and long-term adoption of secure cloud services to approximately 29,000 users across the Alliance. The estimated value of the contract is approximately 200 million euros over the next seven years.

Key Highlights of the Contract

• Accenture: Lead integrator, responsible for designing, implementing, and operating the PBN platform.
• Leonardo: Provides defense‑grade cybersecurity, including a Zero Trust Architecture powered by its Global Cybersec Platform.
• NCIA: Oversees NATO’s communications, command, and cyber infrastructure.
• Contract Value: Approximately €200 million over seven years.
• Users Impacted: Around 29,000 NATO personnel across domains.
• Location of Signing: NATO Summit Defence Industry Forum, Ankara, Turkey (July 7, 2026).

What the Protected Business Network (PBN) Delivers

• Secure Cloud Backbone: Establishes a standardized, multi‑cloud environment resilient to cyberattacks and disruptions.
• Digital Transformation: Replaces legacy IT systems with a common cloud operating model and standardized engineering practices.
• Rapid Deployment: Enables faster development, deployment, and maintenance of new digital services.
• Future‑Ready Capabilities: Provides a scalable foundation for emerging technologies and NATO’s digital transformation ambitions.

Strategic Implications

• For NATO: Enhances digital resilience, supports classified operations, and strengthens technological edge.
• For Accenture: Expands defense IT footprint, reinforces expertise in cloud and cybersecurity, and secures recurring revenue.
• For Leonardo: Positions AI‑driven cyber defense platform at NATO’s core and demonstrates leadership in Zero Trust Architecture.

Leadership Statements

• Dr Dylan Browne, NCIA General Manager: “With this contract, we are delivering on the Alliance’s commitment to innovation, digital transformation, and collective investment in our technological future.”
• Mauro Macchi, CEO for EMEA at Accenture: “NATO’s ambition to become a digitally enabled Alliance is one of the most consequential transformation programs of our time. Together with Leonardo, we are building a resilient, interoperable, and future‑ready digital backbone.”

Conclusion

This contract represents one of NATO’s most significant digital transformation programs, aligning with its ambition to be a digitally enabled Alliance. For Accenture, it is a landmark defense engagement, while for NATO, it is a decisive step toward secure, cloud‑enabled operations that can withstand evolving cyber threats.

India’s ideaForge Takes Flight: First to Train NATO Forces at U.S. NTPS

In a landmark moment for India’s indigenous defence technology ecosystem, ideaForge Technology Inc. (a wholly-owned subsidiary of ideaForge Technology Limited), a leading global drone technology company, has commenced a specialised UAV flight-test training programme for NATO military personnel at the prestigious National Test Pilot School (NTPS), United States. Marking the first such initiative by an Indian UAV player, ideaForge will deploy its NATO-certified SWITCH UAV platform as part of a specialised hands-on drone flight-testing programme. The selection of an Indian organisation by NTPS reflects the country's global recognition in advanced defence technologies and acceptance for homegrown UAV platforms in tactical use cases worldwide.

The week-long exercise, commencing on March 9, will equip NATO’s military personnel from across four continents through an immersive exercise. The key participants include the Royal Canadian Air Force, Israeli Air Force, Indian Navy, German Defence Forces (Bundeswehr), Australian Air Force, Italian Air Force, Sweden, and the United States Air Force. The programme will enhance monitoring, analysis, and tactical capabilities in mission planning and execution. Participants will undergo structured modules that will cover flight-test planning, operational deployment, telemetry monitoring, payload operations, mission evaluation, and post-flight data analysis. The exercises are designed to replicate real operational scenarios, enabling trainees to assess UAV performance across critical missions while gaining end-to-end exposure to integrated aerial systems used in diverse defence operations.

Sharing views on the training programme Mr. Ankit Mehta, CEO and Co-Founder, ideaForge Technology Ltd, said, “With the changing global order and geopolitical landscape, it is important for forces to stay updated and relevant in electronic warfare and continue upgrading and strengthening their capabilities. Training NATO military forces on an Indian-developed platform demonstrates that deep-tech innovation from India can contribute meaningfully to global defence preparedness. Also, our growing international engagements, including the strengthening partnership with First Breach for the JV, First Forge, and the emerging opportunities to work with law enforcement agencies in the United States, further reinforce the global relevance of our platforms. These developments reflect increasing confidence in Indian UAV technology and signal the expanding role of ideaForge in supporting mission-critical operations across defence and homeland security globally.”

SWITCH is known for delivering high operational performance across intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and tactical missions. The platform is engineered to function reliably across varied terrains and extreme climatic conditions. Its lightweight hybrid design enables long-range, high-altitude, last-mile surveillance and security operations with enhanced precision.

Commenting on the collaboration, Mr. Luca Campello, President, National Test Pilot School, said: “NTPS partnered with ideaForge UAV to provide hands-on UAV flight-test training. The platform allows students to practice real flight-test planning, execution, telemetry monitoring, and data analysis in a safe and cost-effective environment. NTPS has confidence in the platform due its operational pedigree, which integrates air vehicle, sensors, datalink, and ground control station. Students are exposed to the complete systems test process, from test card development, test execution, data analysis and test reporting. NTPS greatly appreciates the professionalism and support of the ideaForge team, whose partnership helps make the training both realistic and highly effective.”

While the current programme focuses on training and testing, the collaboration opens pathways for deeper engagement between ideaForge and international defence stakeholders. Being first of its kind, this initiative creates opportunities for long-term institutional partnerships and future platform adoption.

About ideaForge Technology Limited

ideaForge is a pioneer and the pre-eminent market leader in the Indian unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) industry. With a mission-first approach, we deliver cutting-edge drones engineered for unmatched performance, autonomy, and reliability, redefining possibilities in security, mapping, surveillance, and disaster response applications across militaries and enterprises.

With India’s largest operational deployment of indigenous UAVs, an ideaForge drone takes off every 3 minutes, enabling over 8,50,000 successful flights. Ranked 3rd globally among the world’s Top Dual-Use Drone Manufacturers by Drone Industry Insights (DRONEII) Global Drone Review 2024, ideaForge continues to set benchmarks in innovation and excellence.

Since pioneering India’s first VTOL UAVs in 2009, we have expanded with advanced R&D and manufacturing hubs in Navi Mumbai, Bengaluru, Delhi, and the USA, driving the development of indigenously designed and built solutions. Backed by marquee investors, including Qualcomm, Infosys, Celesta Capital, Florintree, EXIM Bank, and Infina Finance, ideaForge is at the forefront of revolutionising unmanned systems.

Discover more: www.ideaforgetech.com

NATO Leads €12 Mn Funding of Underwater Robotics Startup to Protect 160,000km of Seafloor Networks

In a decisive move to bolster subsea infrastructure security, the military alliance NATO, through its NATO Innovation Fund, has led €12 million financing round of Norway-based startup Kongsberg Ferrotech, whose innovative underwater robotics technology is poised to redefine pipeline maintenance and vessel repairs on the ocean floor.

The robot, developed to operate in extreme underwater conditions, creates a “dry habitat” that enables safe inspections and repairs—eliminating the need for human divers or disruptive production shutdowns. This tech isn't just theoretical; it's currently in action off the coast of Abu Dhabi, supporting the oil and gas sector by reducing operational emissions and costs.

Strategic Implications:

With over 160,000 kilometers of subsea pipelines crisscrossing the globe, the risk to vital infrastructure has drawn heightened attention—especially after incidents like the 2022 Nord Stream sabotage. NATO’s investment signals a growing commitment to protect these networks from geopolitical threats, cyber interference, and physical disruption.

Naval Benefits:

Experts believe this tech could also revolutionize naval logistics by allowing vessel maintenance directly at sea. “Repairing warships without docking could extend fleet lifespans and enhance readiness,” says a NATO spokesperson familiar with the deal.

Beyond Borders:

The move reflects a broader trend in global defense: combining robotics, AI, and clean tech to create agile, resilient infrastructure solutions in a rapidly evolving security landscape.

As nations deepen their investments in digital and physical infrastructure protection, underwater robots like those from Kongsberg Ferrotech may soon be as common in marine defense as satellites are in the sky.

The NATO Innovation Fund (NIF) is a €1 billion multi-sovereign venture capital fund launched in 2023 by 24 NATO member countries. The fund aims to invest in deep tech startups that enhance the Alliance’s long-term security, resilience, and technological edge.

Late last month, the NATO Innovation Fund and Earlybird led a $35 million Series A round in Portal Biotech, a pioneering biotechnology company headquartered in London. The NATO Innovation Fund invested in Portal Biotech because its protein sequencing platform has the potential to unlock the next frontier of biological data, critical for biosecurity and healthcare resilience.

NATO, or the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, is a political and military alliance formed in 1949 to ensure the collective defense of its member countries—primarily from North America and Europe. Its guiding principle is that an attack on one member is considered an attack on all, as outlined in Article 5 of its founding treaty. Headquartered in Brussels, NATO works to maintain global peace and stability by coordinating defense strategies, conducting joint military operations, and addressing modern threats like cyberattacks, terrorism, and infrastructure sabotage.

Nokia Bell Labs Selected by NATO for its Defence Innovation Accelerator DIANA

Nokia Bell Labs in Budapest has been chosen to join NATO's Defense Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA) as both an accelerator and test site. This selection is part of NATO's initiative to develop dual-use emerging and disruptive technologies. Nokia Bell Labs will provide access to its cutting-edge testing facilities and expertise to support companies working on solutions in key sectors identified by the Alliance.

The focus areas include advanced capabilities such as 6G, post-quantum security, knowledge management, reliable and cyber-resilient networking, and AI/ML-based digital twins of communication networks. Nokia Bell Labs' involvement in DIANA will support NATO's efforts to maintain technological leadership and address challenges affecting security and defense.

Currently, Nokia Bell Labs in Budapest is researching autonomous intent-based robust and resilient network management architectures for special cyber security, critical networks and defense use cases for 5G, 5G-Advanced and 6G, including the creation of blueprints for using 5G for defense and cyber-physical test ranges.

Prof. Deeph Chana, Managing Director of DIANA, said, “Part of DIANA’s strength is our unique transatlantic network of talent centres and innovation leaders working
toward a common purpose. The breadth and diversity of partners in DIANA’s network will accelerate the development and deployment of ground-breaking solutions for defence, security and peace.”

Interestingly, Prof. Chana has been Senior Advisor at Indian conglomerate, Reliance Industries Limited, between 2017 and 2020.

Peter Vetter, President of Bell Labs Core Research at Nokia, said: “By becoming part of the DIANA network, Nokia Bell Labs in Hungary will be able to support NATO and help maintain the technological leadership of the Alliance and its members that protect its one billion citizens. This is yet another example of Nokia’s commitment to EU innovation, the Defense community and the development of dual-use technologies.”

NATO's DIANA has a network of over 200 affiliated accelerator sites and test centers.

Recently, NATO selected 44 companies for DIANA projects to address challenges related to undersea sensing and surveillance, secure information-sharing, and energy resilience. These companies are part of the first cohort and were chosen from over 1,300 applicants. They will work on developing technology solutions for the alliance's defense and security challenges.

The NATO DIANA program has seen several success stories since its inception. For instance, the German company Helsing and Estonian companies Defendec and Milrem have shared their achievements in the defense sector. These companies have made significant contributions to defense innovation, showcasing the potential of the DIANA initiative to foster technological advancements within the Alliance.

Moreover, the first cohort of 44 companies selected for DIANA projects is working on challenges related to undersea sensing and surveillance, secure information-sharing, and energy resilience. These companies were chosen from over 1,300 applicants and are now actively developing their technology solutions with the support of DIANA's resources and network. Each company has received funding and mentorship to aid in the development of their projects, marking a dynamic and promising start for the program.

Nokia Bell Labs

Nokia Bell Labs is an American industrial research and scientific development company owned by the Finnish company Nokia. It's headquartered in Murray Hill, New Jersey, and operates a global network of laboratories. Known for its significant contributions to information technology and telecommunications, Bell Labs researchers have been credited with the development of radio astronomy, the transistor, the laser, the photovoltaic cell, the charge-coupled device (CCD), information theory, the Unix operating system, and programming languages like B, C, C++, and others.

Throughout its history, Bell Labs has been associated with a number of groundbreaking discoveries and developments, earning its researchers no less than ten Nobel Prizes². Originally established as Bell Telephone Laboratories in 1925, it has undergone several changes in ownership and name, with Nokia acquiring it in 2016 as part of its purchase of Alcatel-Lucent.

Today, Nokia Bell Labs continues to focus on innovating technologies that aim to transform how we live, with a strong emphasis on collaboration and sustainable, impactful research. They are actively involved in the development of 6G technology and have recently been selected for the NATO DIANA accelerator to develop dual-use emerging and disruptive technologies.