US Army sends 10,000 interceptor drones developed in Ukraine to the Middle East

The US Army has deployed 10,000 AI-enabled Merops interceptor drones, developed in Ukraine, to the Middle East to counter Iranian attacks at lower costs than existing missile defenses. Each Merops drone costs around $14,000 to $15,000, but larger orders may reduce that to $3,000 to $5,000.

The Army also sent Bumblebees, explosive-laden quadcopters for targeting enemy drones. These were purchased through a $5.2 million contract.

The deployment occurs amid skepticism from President Donald Trump about Ukraine’s assistance in drone defense. "No, we don’t need their help on drone defense," he stated.

Using Merops could transform US and Israeli defensive strategies, moving away from costly systems like the Patriot missile.