Ukrainian drones against ‘Shaheds’: why the US and Gulf countries have begun to closely study Kyiv’s experience

The widespread use of Iranian drones of the Shahed type is changing the nature of modern conflicts—from Ukraine to the Middle East. For the air defense systems of US allies, this threat has turned out to be unexpectedly costly: destroying a single cheap drone often requires the use of missiles costing millions of dollars.

Against this backdrop, the attention of military analysts and governments of the US, Gulf countries, and Europe is increasingly turning to the Ukrainian experience. Over three years of war, Ukraine has created an effective and relatively inexpensive system to combat mass drone attacks, and now this experience is being considered as a possible model for protecting infrastructure in the Middle East.

Why Shahed attacks deplete air defense systems

Iran continues to actively use strike drones across the Persian Gulf region. According to Western media, targets include diplomatic missions, hotel complexes, infrastructure facilities, and military bases of US allies.

Such attacks create a serious problem for air defense. Expensive missiles from Patriot systems and other modern complexes are often used to intercept drones.

As a result, a paradox of modern warfare arises: a cheap drone costing tens of thousands of dollars forces the defending side to expend interception resources costing hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars.

The economy of modern air warfare

Western analysts increasingly call this the ‘asymmetric economy’ of drone attacks.

Kelly Grieco, an expert at the American think tank Stimson Centre, provides a telling example. On just one day—February 28—Iran launched 541 drones at the territory of the United Arab Emirates.

According to her estimate, for every dollar spent by Iran on drone production, regional countries had to spend approximately 20–28 dollars on their interception.

The same strategy has been used by Russia against Ukraine for several years, where mass drone attacks are intended to overload the air defense system and deplete stocks of expensive missiles.

Ukrainian alternative to expensive missiles

Ukraine offers allies a different approach—the use of cheap interceptor drones.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky proposed to the US and Middle Eastern countries an exchange of technological solutions. This involves the supply of Ukrainian interceptor drones Sting, which cost about a thousand dollars each.

According to Zelensky, this approach allows for a radical change in the economics of defense.

While expensive Patriot missiles are effective against ballistic targets, it is more rational to use cheap interception systems against mass drone attacks.

The Ukrainian side proposes an exchange model: drone interception technologies in exchange for additional supplies of missiles for Patriot systems, which remain critically important for protecting Ukrainian cities from Russian ballistic strikes.

This initiative has already moved into the practical phase. According to the Financial Times, Pentagon representatives and one of the Gulf states have begun negotiations on the purchase of Ukrainian interceptor drones.

Such changes in the architecture of modern defense are increasingly analyzed by NANews — Israel News | Nikk.Agency, noting that the experience of the Ukrainian front is gradually becoming part of the global security system.

How effective are Ukrainian interceptor drones

Ukrainian interceptor drones are compact flying devices resembling small gliders or handheld rockets. Their task is to quickly get on the course of an attacking drone and destroy it before it reaches its target.

According to the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrskyi, in February alone, more than 70% of the drones that Russia attacked Kyiv with were destroyed by such means.

An important factor remains the production speed. The Ukrainian defense industry is already capable of producing about 1000 interceptor drones per day, with designs constantly being upgraded to account for new enemy tactics.

Why Gulf countries are interested in Ukrainian technologies

Countries in the region are closely monitoring the development of Ukrainian interception systems. The reason is simple: Iran possesses one of the largest drone arsenals in the Middle East.

According to David Jordan, a lecturer in defense studies at King’s College London, Gulf states are objectively concerned about the scale of Iran’s drone program.

Meanwhile, the United States is trying to preserve part of its air defense missile stockpiles for its own defense. Therefore, the use of alternative interception systems is becoming an increasingly attractive option.

Experts believe that the exchange of Ukrainian technologies for Patriot missiles could become not only a military but also a diplomatic tool, strengthening Kyiv’s position in negotiations with allies.

How the war in the Middle East affects Ukraine

Ukrainian authorities simultaneously express concern that the escalation of the conflict around Iran could affect arms supplies to Kyiv.

Patriot systems remain a key element of Ukraine’s defense against Russian ballistic missiles. Any redistribution of these systems in favor of other regions could create new risks for Ukrainian defense.

Moreover, hostilities in the Middle East are already beginning to affect the global economy and logistics. For example, in Dubai, there is a threat of a food shortage: according to the logistics company Kühne+Nagel, the city’s fresh food supplies may last only about ten days.

The reason is disruptions in international transportation. According to analysts, about 18% of the world’s air cargo capacity has temporarily gone out of operation due to instability in the region.

Thus, the conflict around Iran is gradually extending far beyond regional security, affecting global markets, international logistics, and the architecture of modern defense.