Ukraine has dispatched interceptor drones and a team of anti-drone specialists to safeguard U.S. military bases in Jordan against Iranian drones, according to President Volodymyr Zelensky.
With Iran’s deployment of Shahed suicide drones across the Middle East, Zelensky disclosed that the U.S., European countries, and 11 nations bordering Iran have requested assistance in combating these destructive UAVs.
“We responded promptly,” Zelensky shared with the New York Times about the U.S. appeal received last Thursday.
Ukraine has been engaged in a four-year battle against these Iranian-designed attack drones, which have not only been utilized by Russia but also mass-produced for frequent assaults.
Although the U.S. possesses advanced Patriot interceptor missiles to thwart aerial threats, these missiles are both expensive and limited in availability. Zelensky noted that Middle Eastern countries expended over 800 of them during the initial days of the conflict.
Notably, an Iranian drone attack on March 1 resulted in the deaths of six U.S. soldiers in Kuwait, highlighting the challenge faced by the U.S. military and its allies in intercepting such threats in time.
The interceptor missiles also cost more than $3 million each to produce, about 60 times more than what a single Shahed costs.
Ukraine has been able to counter the Shahed drones on a tight budget, and Zelensky has vowed to assist any ally that needs help against Tehran.
“There is clear interest in Ukraine’s experience in protecting lives, relevant interceptors, electronic warfare systems, and training,” Zelensky wrote on X. “Ukraine is ready to respond positively to requests from those who help us protect the lives of Ukrainians and the independence of Ukraine.
The US is reportedly leaning on that expertise as the army is rushing to deploy the counter-drone systems that have been tested in Ukraine to the Middle East.
The Merops drone killers are enroute to the region with a team of Ukrainians expected to be tapped to train US soldiers how to operate the UAVs, the Wall Street Journal reported.
The drone killers can fly at more than 180 mph and are small enough to be launched from a pickup truck and can autonomously target an incoming drone using radio waves, radar, or even the target’s heat signature, according to the outlet.
The counter UAVs have proven successful in Ukraine and cost less than $10,000 to make, a fraction of what the Shahed’s price, one US military official said.
While US officials have yet to issue a statement on the specifics of the partnership with Ukraine drone experts, Trump has previously welcomed any help allied nations provide in the war with Iran.
