What can Ukraine offer against Iranian drones?

The fighting in the Middle East shows that many countries are not prepared for a new type of war in which drones are used on a massive scale. Attempts by the Persian Gulf states to shoot down Iranian drones with expensive missiles from Western air defense systems have so far not yielded much results - one Patriot missile costs more than five million dollars, and it was not designed for such small, slow and "dumb" targets. However, in four years of war, Ukraine has learned to shoot down both Iranian and Russian drones, and with much cheaper solutions. Therefore, interest in Ukrainian interceptor drones and its experience in defending against drones is growing.

"Everyone understands that today only Ukrainian experience can really help repel mass attacks by Shahed drones. I think it is clear to everyone that without our army, our pilots, without our software and our radar system - without all this, interceptor drones simply do not function," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a conversation with reporters via WhatsApp.

Home-made solutions

The current demand for Ukrainian technologies and experience will not last long, believes Dmytro Slydyuk from the Ukrainian “Drone Academy” – Dronarium Academy. According to him, Ukraine can and is ready to initially deliver interceptor drones – but partners will probably quickly copy them and start producing them in larger quantities. Because the technologies that Ukraine uses are not particularly complex or unique. These are, says Slydyuk, significantly improved FPV drones. That is why Ukrainian experience is today a “valuable commodity”.

Slydyuk believes that the state must remove bureaucratic obstacles so that the current demand for Ukrainian development and experience can be exploited. He believes that Ukrainian companies will have difficulty independently entering the Middle Eastern markets if the government does not make quick decisions. If the procedures drag on for months, interest, he says, will disappear.

Zelensky recently announced on social media that Ukraine had received eleven requests for assistance in combating Iranian drones – from countries neighboring Iran, from several European countries and from the United States. Kiev has already responded to some of these requests with concrete decisions and concrete support. The National Security and Defense Council, together with the General Staff and the Ukrainian Armed Forces, is assessing which requests can be responded to positively without weakening its own defense capabilities. In an interview with the New York Times, Zelensky said that Ukraine has already sent a team of experts and interceptor drones to protect US bases in Jordan from Iranian combat drones.

You should also know that Ukrainian technology is used

Slydyuk explains that training a pilot to defend against drones takes about five months. It includes theoretical preparation, as well as extensive motor skills training. The pilot must be able to manually direct a fast aircraft towards a target that is also moving quickly. This is impossible to master and practice in a short period of time. Ukraine can offer already qualified experts and training based on existing technology to train drone pilots en masse in the field. Ukrainian expertise, Slydyuk says, is constantly increasing during the war with Russia, so Ukrainian instructors will always be one step ahead.

Marta Bukhtiyarova, who studies defense at the Kyiv University of Economics, notes that Ukraine's partners have so far followed all the innovations of the Ukrainian army with great interest, but often did not know how to apply them or how to integrate them into their own systems. The current situation with Iran could, she believes, be the first step towards Ukraine's combat experience becoming part of the military doctrines of other countries.

Trump: "We don't need Ukraine"

Zelensky emphasizes that Ukraine is ready to share its technologies and combat experience, but in return expects to strengthen its own air defenses - primarily with Patriot systems and related equipment - as well as diplomatic support in putting pressure on Russia.

Kiev also wants to reach a separate agreement on drones with the United States. Zelensky recalls that Ukraine offered the Americans a drone agreement a year ago that includes interceptor systems, and is based on Ukrainian experience and Ukrainian production capacities that the country cannot currently fully utilize. This offer was addressed primarily to the United States, but the interest of Middle Eastern countries is now part of the same process. In an interview with Fox News, US President Donald Trump said that the United States will not need help in defending against Iranian drones.

Ukraine wants to export technology

In early February, Zelensky announced on Telegram that Ukraine was opening up to arms exports. In 2026, it is planned to open ten Ukrainian export offices in Europe - in the Baltics and other countries in the north of the continent. However, drone manufacturers warn that exports remain extremely difficult. After the start of the Russian invasion, arms exports were practically stopped due to domestic needs. State institutions are now negotiating with manufacturers on an export model that would be acceptable to all parties.

Bukhtiyarova points out that drone exports ensure the stability and survival of Ukrainian companies. During the war, the number of drone manufacturers increased manifold, while the limit on the amount the state purchases from them has long been reached. If the state can no longer purchase their equipment, they face the threat of production being suspended. That is why approving exports is crucial for the country's defense.

Yevhen Motolyshenko of Athlon Avia believes that exports would allow for the expansion of production, which would also benefit the Ukrainian state. Companies would produce, export, make a profit and reinvest in Ukraine, bringing in new capital and new technologies. This, he says, requires a clear and predictable export policy. It is also possible to establish joint production facilities with foreign partners, which would accelerate the development of Ukrainian technologies, attract investment and provide access to international support programs. This, Motolyshenko adds, would develop the Ukrainian defense industry and strengthen the security of Ukraine’s allies.

Bukhtiyarova adds another important aspect: manufacturing abroad allows Ukrainian companies to avoid the risk of Russian missile attacks.