How Ukraine Handled the Drone War and Why the U.S. Needs Kyiv's Expertise in a Time of Breakthrough Deals

Ukraine is poised to sign a landmark drone defense deal with the United States as Washington seeks to leverage Kiev’s experience in countering low-cost, mass-produced drone systems, CBS News reported Tuesday (local time).

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is set to sign the deal on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York this week, according to a report citing sources.

However, the report said the deal could instead be finalized at a later date when the US is ready to sign.

Ukraine is in demand for drone technology

Ukraine’s battlefield-tested drone technology gained particular attention during the recent war with Iran.

During the early days of the conflict, Iran used Shahed one-way attack drones against US military installations in West Asia. Russia has used the same family of drones extensively against Ukrainian cities and infrastructure.

In early March of this year, Ukraine sent specialized military teams and drone expert teams to West Asia at the formal request of the United States.

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In a video speech, Zelenskyy said Ukraine has “the world’s greatest experience in combating attack drones,” referring to expertise gained over years of Russian drone attacks.

Ukraine also said the US and 10 other countries in the Middle East and Europe had asked for its help in dealing with the growing drone threat.

The economics of drone warfare

One of the biggest lessons from the Ukraine war is the growing mismatch between the cost of an attack drone and the weapon used to destroy it.

Iranian-style attack drones can cost tens of thousands of dollars, while anti-missile missiles deployed by sophisticated Western air defense systems can cost hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars.

This creates a difficult economic equation when a large number of relatively inexpensive drones are launched at the same time.

NPR national security correspondent Greg Myre raised the issue in an earlier podcast with his publication, noting that US ships and military bases have air defense systems designed largely to counter expensive missiles with expensive interceptors.

Myre said Ukraine “is pioneering a number of smaller, cheaper fighter drones,” with some costing as little as $1,000.

How Ukraine Became a Laboratory for Fighting Drones

The Russian invasion forced Ukraine to quickly adapt its military technology and tactics, Myre said.

Years of repeated attacks by Russian drones have given Ukrainian forces extensive operational experience in identifying, tracking and intercepting unmanned systems.

The experience also created a feedback loop between Ukraine’s military and its domestic defense industry, with systems tested in combat, quickly modified and returned to the battlefield, Myre says.

This battlefield-driven innovation is now attracting the interest of countries facing similar threats.

Why the US wants Ukrainian expertise

For the US, the Ukrainian experience offers a way to address a problem of increasing importance to US forces: how to defend bases, ships and troops in West Asia against large numbers of relatively cheap drones without exhausting expensive air defense fighters.

Low-cost drones are also increasingly being used by state and non-state actors, including the Houthis and Hamas, against US allies, making anti-drone technology an important part of modern air defense.

Ukraine has also sought to expand its defense partnerships beyond the US.

Kyiv has signed comprehensive 10-year defense and security agreements with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, according to the Kyiv Post.

Read also | UK to back Saudi Arabia against Houthis: Why Britain is stepping in

The agreements come as West Asian countries face growing threats from drones following the US-Israeli-Iran conflict and a series of attacks and reprisals involving unmanned systems.

As Myre noted, the dynamic between Washington and Kyiv has shifted: “Ukraine needs American air defense capabilities, while the US has a growing interest in Ukraine’s experience with low-cost drones.