Army tests high-altitude balloons for operations along NATOs eastern flank

At roughly 60,000 feet above Poland, small balloons flew higher than commercial airliners as part of an Army test to determine whether the stratosphere could provide another place for battlefield sensors and communications equipment.

The Army recently launched the micro high-altitude balloons from Powidz, a major U.S. military logistics and aviation hub in western Poland, as part of Cold Raptor.

The exercise is the latest in a series of experiments involving more than 50 launches over the past year to determine how the relatively inexpensive platforms could support military operations.

Cold Raptor was part of a broader effort to strengthen NATO's defenses known as the Eastern Flank Deterrence Initiative.

The balloons can carry intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance sensors, communications equipment and electromagnetic warfare payloads, including technology used in navigation warfare, according to Maj. Don Duong, chief technology officer for Multi-Domain Command-Europe, the Army organization overseeing the experiments.

The platforms can provide what Duong described as “organic coverage and dynamic augmentation.â€

Sgt. Shakir Claxton, a balloon operator with the command, said the floating aircraft are one part of a broader sensing effort that also incorporates drones and electronic warfare capabilities.

Soldiers work with vendors to launch a micro high-altitude balloon during an exercise at the National Training Center, at Fort Irwin, Calif., in April 2026. The balloons float in the stratosphere and can carry intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance sensors, communications equipment and electromagnetic warfare payloads. (Victoria Connell/U.S. Army)

Soldiers from Multi-Domain Command–Europe prepare to launch a high-altitude balloon at an airfield in Tehachapi, Calif., on April 22, 2026. Several such balloons were tested in Poland in August as part of the NATO exercise Cold Raptor. (Rajheem Dixon/U.S. Army)

Some balloons launched during Cold Raptor carried experimental payloads for communications extension and domain awareness, officials said.

The command didn't disclose further details about the capabilities tested or the specific operational requirements it was looking to address.

The experimentation comes as the Army seeks new ways to monitor the battlefield and keep troops connected in increasingly complex environments where traditional systems may be disrupted or unavailable.

It offers an example of how “traditionally scientific test platforms can be leveraged in novel and innovative ways,†Duong said.

The Russia-Ukraine war has already reshaped how the Army trains and prepares for combat, as the widespread use of drones and electronic warfare highlights the need for forces to operate while under constant threat of detection and disruption.

Micro high-altitude balloons operate in the stratosphere at approximately 60,000 to 70,000 feet. When inflated, they are about 33 feet tall and can carry payloads weighing 20 to 45 pounds, according to a manufacturer datasheet provided by the command.

During Cold Raptor, the balloons launched from Powidz were recovered near Ustka, a Baltic Sea spa town about 190 miles to the north, according to the Army.

Troops prepare to test a high-altitude balloon at Fort Huachuca, Ariz., on May 25, 2025. More than 50 such balloons have been launched over the past year to test various ways in which they might support military operations. (Rajheem Dixon/U.S. Army)

Duong described the balloons as a “cost-effective and responsive, launch-on-demand†way to carry payloads depending on operational requirements.

They can enable sensing and communications coverage in complex terrain by flying above weather and congested airspace, Duong said.

The command would not provide an approximate cost for a balloon or mission, saying details could not be discussed outside the Defense Department.

The Poland training represents another step in a series of experiments aimed at determining how the balloons could operate in Europe.

During Cold Raptor, soldiers validated procedures for launching, controlling, monitoring and recovering the balloons.

The exercise also tested whether teams could operate from separate locations while maintaining communications, said Sgt. Eric Atwater Jr., a signal sergeant in Multi-Domain Command-Europe.

The balloons' course was managed and monitored by soldiers who were in a different place from the Powidz launch site.

In addition, the exercise helped authorities understand the challenges of operating balloons in Europe, where countries are relatively close together. Launches therefore require coordination with assorted governments and airspace authorities.

Cold Raptor built on lessons from previous balloon experimentation at the National Training Center in California, as well as in Sweden.

In California, soldiers launched balloons simultaneously from separate locations, requiring coordination with different airspace agencies to obtain launch and recovery clearances.

The experimentation later moved to Europe, where soldiers have had to account for Baltic wind currents and temperatures at different layers of the stratosphere while piloting the balloons, Duong said.

“Every exercise thus far has presented unique challenges that sharpened these capabilities,†he said.

The Army previously launched three micro high-altitude balloons from Kosta, Sweden, during exercises Sword 26 and Aurora 26. The balloons carried experimental sensing and communications payloads as they traveled through the Baltic region.

The command will now evaluate the results of the Poland tests and share its findings with Army offices that decide whether new equipment should be developed or purchased, officials said.