Ukrainian Sky Map Anti-Drone System Deployed in Gulf Region

Gulf states and their U.S. partners have adopted Ukrainian-made anti-drone technology to address drone threats from Iran. The technology, tested in Ukraine against Russian attacks, includes the Sky Map command-and-control platform. This system detects incoming drones using acoustic sensors and counters them with interceptors.

In late March, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar. He offered counter-drone expertise and signed 10-year defense agreements with all three countries. Zelenskyy later confirmed that Ukrainian forces participated in operations using domestically produced interceptor drones to shoot down Iranian Shahed drones in several Gulf countries.

According to Reuters, the U.S. military has deployed the Sky Map platform at Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia. Ukrainian officers traveled to the base to train U.S. personnel on the software. The system integrates acoustic sensors, radar, and AI to detect threats and guide defenses.

Sky Fortress, the company behind Sky Map, established in 2022 and funded by Ukraine’s military, has placed more than 10,000 acoustic sensors in Ukraine to detect drone attacks. These sensors identify distinct engine signatures. The platform links these with other systems to enable real-time tracking and interception.

Iran’s Shahed-136 is a one-way attack drone, about 3.5 meters long with a 2.5-meter wingspan. Each costs between $20,000 and $50,000, compared to $4 million for U.S. Patriot interceptor missiles. The drones are GPS-guided, with newer variants featuring anti-jamming technology.

Interceptor drones chase and neutralize attack drones without self-destructing. Ukrainian models range from $1,000 to $3,000. They can reach speeds up to 342 kilometers per hour and operate at altitudes up to 4.5 kilometers.

The Defense Council of Ukraine stated that using an interceptor drone to down a Shahed is more than 25 times cheaper than a Western air defense missile. The Pentagon announced a $350 million commitment to its counter-drone unit, including cameras, sensors, and interceptors. U.S. air defense systems struggle with barrages of one-way drones due to their speed and evasion tactics.