Ukraine and NATO join efforts to enhance battlefield medical care

The NATO–Ukraine Joint Analysis, Training and Education Centre (JATEC) and NATO’s Allied Command Transformation (ACT) announce the 17th NATO Innovation Challenge – ‘The Pressing Challenge: Medical Care in a Transparent & Contested Battlespace.’

The event aims to identify effective joint solutions by Ukraine and NATO for providing frontline medical care tailored to the realities of modern warfare, including prolonged field care and casualty evacuation within the 8-kilometer kill zone under continuous enemy surveillance and frequent drone and artillery attacks that severely complicate and endanger evacuation efforts.

The JATEC team initiated the competition to identify effective solutions that ensure the survival of the wounded and enable safe movement under the constant threat posed by the enemy.

Key areas of development focus on practical concepts, systems or integrated architectures supporting medical stabilization, concealment of movement, communication, and evacuation of the wounded in challenging combat environments.

JATEC and NATO’s Allied Command Transformation (ACT) invite defense companies from NATO member states and Ukraine, as well as academic institutions, to participate in the competition.

The deadline for applications is November 16, 2025. The announcement of finalists is scheduled for November 21, followed by a public defense and demonstration of the selected solutions on December 5 in London.

The selected finalists will present their solutions before a panel comprising NATO and Ukrainian experts, national representatives, operational users, and observers.

Participation in the competition offers an opportunity to engage with NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Transformation (SACT) Headquarters and JATEC within a community focused on developing solutions to support NATO’s innovation process.

Registration for participation is available here: https://www.cvent.com/c/abstracts/5a830cde-ceee-4fb9-a676-f418845ca674

Request for Innovation Participation (RFIP) by NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Transformation (SACT) Headquarters:

https://www.act.nato.int/opportunities/contracting/rfip-act-sact-25-104/

The previous NATO Innovation Challenge focused on countering fiber-optic-controlled FPV drones.