Ukraine says it can arm allies with 1,000 anti-Shahed interceptors a day, maybe more, if it gets more investment
· Business Insider
Nina Liashonok / Ukrinform/Future Publishing via Getty Images
- Ukraine said it can produce more anti-Shahed interceptor drones than it needs.
- Ukraine has deep experience in combating the kind of drone attacks the US and its allies now face in the Middle East.
- It has resulted in a surge in interest in Ukraine's interceptors, and it wants to share them.
Ukraine is offering to use its untapped industrial capacity to support countries facing new threats. It says it could supply partners with 1,000 interceptor drones a day to counter Shahed attacks, potentially even more if it can secure additional investments to scale up production.
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told the UK Parliament on Tuesday that Ukraine can produce "at least 2,000 effective and combat-proven interceptors every day." His military needs around 1,000 a day, which means "we can supply at least another 1,000 a day to our allies."
Ukraine's defense industry says it can produce far more than it does now, but lacks funding. Zelenskyy singled out interceptor drones — cheap systems designed to destroy incoming drones — as an urgent gap for partners that Kyiv could fill.
Ukraine has extensive experience in stopping Shahed drones without needing to expend expensive missiles. A top officer said last month that interceptor drones now account for almost a third of the Russian aerial threats destroyed.
Amid the Iran war, there is a surge in interest in Ukraine's capabilities.
Iran has fired its Shahed drones at the US and its Middle East allies.Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Interest was already growing as allies studied Ukraine's battlefield tactics, especially drone defense; however, demand has surged as the Iranians lob Shahed one-way attack drones at US forces and allies in the Middle East.
The war has highlighted problems with traditional air defense systems, including how expensive they are to use.
One interceptor missile for a US-made Patriot air defense system, for example, can cost around $4 million, and difficult-to-replace stockpiles can be quickly exhausted. These weapons aren't ideal against Iranian Shaheds, generally estimated to cost around $20,000 to $50,000 apiece.
Interceptor drones, running $2,000 to $6,000, put defenders in a better position from a cost perspective.
Zelenskyy said Ukraine was forced to learn how to cheaply stop these one-way drones so that Russia could not overwhelm expensive air defense systems by sending drones in waves. He said Ukraine changed that equation, stressing that Kyiv's "approach is far more cost-effective than anything our partners use today."
Zelenskyy previously said that multiple countries had contacted Ukraine's government for help on dealing with Iran's Shahed drones, and on Tuesday, he said there's demand for Ukrainian expertise.
There are more than 200 Ukrainian military experts in the Gulf region at the request of partners, he said, and they "know how to help, how to defend against 'Shahed' drones."
Interceptor drone makers, including ones outside of Ukraine, told Business Insider that they have seen a burst of interest, but it is tough to meet demand, as companies can't scale up overnight.
"We can produce more — it depends on investment," the Ukrainian president said.
Ukraine has a wealth of experience in shooting down drones that were modelled after Iran's Shaheds.Sergei SUPINSKY / AFP via Getty Images
Ukraine's defense budget heavily limits what industry can produce. More outside orders could unlock idle capacity, boosting supply for both Ukraine and its partners.
Ihor Fedirko, the CEO of the Ukrainian Council of Defence Industry (UCDI), a body that represents more than 100 companies, told Business Insider on Wednesday that the war in the Middle East has triggered a wave of requests for Ukrainian tech and expertise.
He said Ukraine is able to make 2.5 times more interceptors than it can afford to buy, and that gap could double in a few months. Exports would generate cash to fund more production for Ukraine's own military.
Ukraine's exports are heavily controlled, with the country wanting to prioritize its own fight against Russia's invasion. It's taking a host of steps to be able to export more equipment to some partners, particularly in Europe, but many of those steps are still being worked out. Zelenskyy's comments, however, indicate that interceptor drones could be a priority export.
Zelenskyy also indicated that partners would need more than just interceptors to field a robust defense. "Without a system, any interceptor is just a toy — not a real defender," he said.
He said Ukraine knows how to build radar coverage to detect drones and software for the radars to keep working under electronic warfare interference.
"If a 'Shahed' needs to be stopped in the Emirates, we can do it. If it needs to be stopped in Europe or the United Kingdom, we can do it," Zelenskyy said. "It is a matter of technology, investment, and cooperation."
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