Ukraine is scaling its experience in countering hostile drones internationally and plans to conclude major technology and defense agreements with at least seven NATO countries by the end of the year. The main vectors of cooperation will be the so-called Drone Deals and the construction of integrated UAV defense systems.
Ukraine is scaling its experience in countering hostile drones internationally and plans to conclude major technology and defense agreements with at least seven NATO countries by the end of the year. The main vectors of cooperation will be the so-called Drone Deals and the construction of integrated UAV defense systems.
As the British publication The Guardian reports, citing senior Ukrainian officials, Kyiv has already concluded the first Drone Deals with six states. Among them are NATO members Latvia and Lithuania, as well as Azerbaijan and three Gulf countries: Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar.
According to Deputy Secretary of the National Security Council of Ukraine, Davyd Aloyan, this initiative goes far beyond the usual supply of drones. The key value of the partnership lies in the transfer of tactical experience and the integration of related technologies — sensors, ground control stations and radar systems, which together form a holistic air defense ecosystem.
Middle Eastern countries' interest in Ukrainian technology has increased sharply after they were hit by Iranian long-range Shahed drones in the spring. Previously, expensive Patriot missiles were used to intercept such cheap assets in the region, while Ukraine has four years of experience in destroying such targets using much more economical and effective solutions.
«An interceptor drone is just a drone. That doesn’t mean you can shoot down ‘shaheeds’ with it. Drones are needed, but you also need components, sensors, ground stations, and, more importantly, radar systems,» explained David Aloyan.
Currently, direct exports of drones themselves from Ukraine are not carried out, since all domestic production capacities are contracted for the internal needs of the front. Instead, Ukraine acts as an integrator: it provides partners with a comprehensive threat assessment, prepares expert reports and helps configure defense systems. In one case, a Gulf country purchased interceptor drones from a Western manufacturer who developed its product together with Ukrainian developers, after which Kyiv advised the buyer on effective combat use.
