All articles tagged with #shahed
The US is sending its Merops counter-drone system to the Middle East, featuring the Surveyor interceptor that has shot down over 1,000 Shahed drones in Ukraine. Interceptors cost about $15,000 each, and trained US and allied personnel will operate the system as a cheaper air-defense option against Iranian drones amid rising regional tensions.
Ukraine’s hard-won counter-drone expertise, developed after years of drone and missile attacks, is in demand as Iran-backed Shahed drones threaten Gulf infrastructure. Kyiv says it intercepts about 90% of Shaheds using interceptor drones and existing air-defenses, while the US and Gulf states seek closer cooperation. Zelensky Signaled talks with Middle Eastern partners and proposed mutual exchanges—Ukraine would share interceptors in exchange for PAC-3 missiles—highlighting how Kyiv’s drone-defense know-how could bolster allies and potentially replenish Western missile stocks amid a widening regional conflict.
Iran’s deployment of thousands of cheap Shahed drones across the Middle East is described by defense experts as an asymmetric strategy to drive up U.S. defense costs and prolong conflict by forcing expensive interceptors to counter inexpensive, hard-to-detect drones; the piece cites comments from Draganfly CEO Cameron Chell and Carnegie Endowment analysts about the strain on air defenses and the uncertain scale of Iran’s drone buildup, alongside recent regional attacks.
A Russian Shahed drone strike hit a Ukrainian passenger train in Kharkiv, killing at least five and prompting Zelenskyy to label it terrorism targeting civilians. Kyiv says the attack used Iranian-made drones with no military target. Some analysts and officials claim Starlink satellite tech aids Russia’s targeting, a claim SpaceX has not confirmed and Musk has rejected, stressing Starlink’s civilian use. The broader day saw 11 people killed across Ukraine as about 165 drones were launched in attacks.
Ukraine is developing low-cost interceptor drones to combat Russian Shahed drones amid ongoing drone attacks, aiming to improve its air defense capabilities and reduce dependency on expensive Western missile systems, while Russia adapts its drone technology in response.
Russia used rocket-powered Shahed-type drones in a massive attack on Kyiv, killing at least eleven people and injuring 135, as they continue to modernize and deploy more sophisticated drones for long-range strikes, challenging Ukraine's air defenses and prompting calls for increased international support.