As the war with Iran enters its second week and spreads across the Gulf, the United States has turned to Ukraine for assistance in countering Iranian drone attacks, according to Ukrainian and U.S. officials.
Iran has launched more than 2,000 drones since the conflict began and could fire as many as 5,000 in the first month, a pace comparable to Russia’s drone campaign against Ukraine, U.S. military sources said.
Iranian drone strike in Dubai
Much of the threat comes from Shahed drones, the Iranian-designed loitering munitions widely used by Russia during its war against Ukraine. In recent days, Iran has deployed the drones against Gulf states and U.S. military bases in the region, prompting Washington to seek support from Kyiv, which has developed extensive experience defending against such attacks.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the request this week, writing on X that the United States had asked for “specific support in defending against Shahed drones in the Middle East.”
Zelenskyy said he had ordered the provision of assistance and the dispatch of Ukrainian experts to the Gulf region to help improve defenses.
According to Ukrainian officials, requests for help have also come from several Gulf countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Jordan, Kuwait, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.
Ukraine has become a testing ground for counter-drone technologies since Russia expanded its invasion more than four years ago. Ukrainian forces have developed methods to detect and intercept slow-moving drones that fly low and are difficult for conventional air defenses to track.
Among the systems developed is a low-cost interceptor drone known as the “Sting,” a quadcopter designed to chase and destroy enemy drones either by collision or proximity detonation. The system can reach speeds of more than 160 kilometers per hour and uses artificial intelligence to lock onto targets autonomously, reducing the risk of signal jamming.
Ukraine has also deployed acoustic sensor networks capable of detecting the distinctive engine sound of Shahed drones, often described as resembling a lawn mower.
The conflict has exposed gaps in the preparedness of the United States and its regional allies for large-scale drone warfare, analysts say.
Despite numerous interceptions, some drones have penetrated defenses and caused casualties and damage. In Kuwait, six U.S. soldiers were killed in a drone strike on a U.S. military operations center, while another drone struck the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh, damaging a floor housing facilities used by the CIA.
Experts say the attacks highlight a key challenge: while advanced systems such as the Patriot missile defense system are effective against ballistic missiles, they are costly to use against relatively cheap drones. Shahed drones are estimated to cost $30,000 to $50,000 each, while interceptor missiles can cost millions.
Ukraine’s approach — combining interceptor drones, machine guns mounted on vehicles and layered detection systems — is increasingly seen as a more sustainable and cost-effective model for countering mass drone attacks.