NATO Country Seeks Ukraine’s Delta Combat System in Possible Export Deal

One NATO member state is in talks to acquire Ukraine’s battlefield management system, known as DELTA, which has been credited with transforming how the country’s forces coordinate operations during the war.

The disclosure came from Ukraine’s Deputy Defense Minister for Digitalization, Kateryna Chernohorenko, during an interview with Army TV, according to a report by Ukrinform.

“We received a corresponding enquiry from one of the NATO countries to obtain the opportunity to export the DELTA system. I shall not disclose the name of the country just yet, but this is our very kind partner, who helps us very seriously with various types of weapons, and we are really proud that the national IT system sees enquiries from other countries,” Chernohorenko said.

Talks are now underway to define the model for export and the necessary licensing mechanisms. An official announcement will follow once an intergovernmental agreement is in place, she added.

Developed by Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense, DELTA has been a key tool in its war against Russian forces. It is often described as “Google for the military” due to its real-time situational awareness functions. The system allows verified users to track the positions of friendly and enemy forces using a digital map, with integrated video, sensor, radar, and drone feeds.

DELTA features modules like Deltamonitor, Target Hub, and Vezha, enabling integrated surveillance, communication, and fire coordination. Its architecture allows rapid integration of new features, with flexibility being a key design goal.

In July 2024, Ukraine's Ministry of Defense confirmed that DELTA had passed a NATO-standard information security audit conducted by an international consulting firm. Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said this marked the first time a Ukrainian military system had been certified under modern NATO protocols.

“The DELTA combat system has successfully passed an information security audit, confirming the compliance of its integrated information protection system with the established requirements,” Umerov stated. The audit reviewed 162 cyber defense measures over a six-week period.

The Defense Ministry noted that DELTA is compatible with laptops, tablets, and smartphones, although its functionality relies on strong internet connectivity via LTE or Starlink. This requirement introduces operational challenges in areas with limited network coverage.

Despite its strengths, experts have flagged potential vulnerabilities due to its data-driven nature. While access is tiered and protected, any loss of a connected device could pose a security risk. Ukraine’s State Service of Special Communications claims robust protections are in place, but independent verification has not been possible.

A December 2024 report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) said that DELTA may rival the United States’ Combined Joint All-Domain Command and Control (CJADC2) concept in terms of design goals and operational flexibility.

Lieutenant Colonel Elizaveta Boyko, a system developer, stated, “We created modules that have never been used in NATO before.”

Ukraine’s defense technology has attracted increased foreign attention, with other recent deals including the production of Ukrainian-designed Dzhura and Kozak armored vehicles in Spain.

If the DELTA export deal proceeds, it would mark the first time a front-line-tested Ukrainian battlefield software system is formally adopted by a NATO country.