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Ukrainian drone manufacturers to acquire interceptor drones capable of defending its vast oil infrastructure against Iranian aerial threats, according to people familiar with the discussions.
According to WSJ, The state-backed energy giant is moving to secure the technology ahead of both its own government and regional competitors such as Qatar, the sources said, underscoring the urgency with which Gulf oil producers are seeking new defenses as Iranian drone and missile strikes escalate against energy facilities across the region.
Aramco is in discussions with SkyFall and Wild Hornets, two Ukrainian firms that manufacture interceptor drones designed to neutralize incoming aerial threats by either colliding with or detonating near hostile drones. The talks were earlier reported by the French publication Intelligence Online.
The negotiations come as the Saudi government is separately in contact with Ukraine about purchasing similar drone technology, the Wall Street Journal reported. Saudi officials have also held discussions with Phantom Defense, another Ukrainian company that specializes in electronic warfare systems built to disable drones by disrupting their communications, according to a person familiar with the matter.
The push for new defensive capabilities follows a drone strike on the Berri oilfield on Saturday, which Saudi officials familiar with the matter said was likely launched by Iran. The attack on Berri is part of a broader pattern of Iranian strikes targeting energy infrastructure operated by Saudi Arabia and other Gulf oil producers in recent days.
Saudi Arabia's oil facilities have faced repeated threats from drone and missile attacks in recent years. A September 2019 strike on the Abqaiq processing plant and the Khurais oil field, widely attributed to Iran, temporarily knocked out roughly half of the kingdom's oil production and sent global crude prices surging, highlighting the vulnerability of critical energy infrastructure in the region.
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