Gulf states have a $2,500 fix to outsmart Iran’s deadly drones: All you need to know
Terra Drone's interceptor, costing $2,526, offers a cheaper solution compared to expensive Patriot missiles and is designed to combat mass-produced Iranian drones.
Gulf nations, including Saudi Arabia and the UAE, are considering a Ukrainian-designed interceptor drone as a low-cost alternative to counter Iranian attacks, amid depleting stockpiles of US-made missiles, a Japanese firm marketing the technology overseas told Reuters.
Since the start of the US-Israeli war with Iran, Tehran has launched waves of cheap mass-produced drones, including Shaheds similar to those Russia uses in Ukraine. Gulf states and US forces have largely relied on costly interceptor missiles to shoot them down.
"Everyone started doing the maths. It simply doesn't make economic sense, and people are finally waking up to that," Toru Tokushige, the chief executive of Terra Drone, told the news agency.
There has been a surge of inquiries from the Middle East since the war began, he added.
How much do these interceptor drones cost?
Each Terra Drone interceptor drone is priced at about 400,000 yen ($2,526), while the ground-launched Patriot interceptor missiles can cost around $4 million each. On the other hand, a Shahed drone is estimated to cost as little as $20,000.
During the first week of the Middle East conflict, Iran launched over 1,000 drones and is believed to have the capacity to produce up to 10,000 per month.
The Saudi Arabian and UAE embassies in Tokyo did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
What are these drones capable of?
Terra Drone, known for commercial drones, announced its entry into military sales last month through a tie-up with a Ukraine start up, Amazing Drones. It has designed the Terra A1, an interceptor drone, to counter Shahed drone attacks launched by Moscow against Ukraine.
- These interceptor drones are built to hunt and destroy Shahed-type unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), Kyiv Post said, quoting the company
- With a maximum speed of 300 kilometres/hour and a 32-kilometre range, the Terra A1 is significantly faster than typical drones.
- It uses electric propulsion for high stealth and can handle the entire process from target detection to neutralisation in a 15-minute flight, providing a far cheaper alternative to other missile defence systems.
However, the Terra A1 has yet to be battle-tested and is expected to be handed over to Ukraine's military in the coming months for trials, noted Tokushige.
Terra Drone already supplies survey and inspection drones to Saudi Arabia’s state-owned oil giant Aramco and could leverage its presence to set up interceptor drone production in the Middle East, he said, adding, “This is an area where Japan’s manufacturing strengths can be fully utilised.”