U.S. dismissed Ukraine deal for anti-Iran drone tech last year
Nearly seven months ago, Ukrainian officials tried to sell the U.S. their battle-proven technology for downing Iranian-made attack drones. They even made a PowerPoint presentation — obtained exclusively by Axios — showing how it could protect American forces and their allies in a Middle East war.The Trump administration dismissed the Ukrainians, only to reverse course last week because of more-than-expected drone strikes from Iran.
Why it matters: Snubbing Ukraine's offer ranks as one of the biggest tactical miscalculations by the administration since the bombing of Iran began Feb. 28, two U.S. officials tell Axios.
Iran's inexpensive Shahed drones have been linked to the deaths of seven U.S. service members, and have cost the U.S. and its friends in the region millions of dollars to intercept.
"If there's a tactical error or a mistake we made leading up to this [war in Iran], this was it," a U.S. official acknowledged.
- Iran's inexpensive Shahed drones have been linked to the deaths of seven U.S. service members, and have cost the U.S. and its friends in the region millions of dollars to intercept.
- "If there's a tactical error or a mistake we made leading up to this [war in Iran], this was it," a U.S. official acknowledged.
another U.S. official told Axios that military personnel have "been wanting to go to Ukraine and pull the tech and the tactics from the Ukrainian military ... so that we're innovating and learning."
- The need for the technology is so great that Trump's sons announced a new business venture Monday to supply the Pentagon with Ukrainian drone technology.
