The firm that defends US allies against Iranian drones says which country helped it perfect its technology
Lessons learned from the fight against Russian Shahed drones are now being used to adapt defenses to threats in the Middle East, according to Business Insider.
Robin Radar, a Dutch firm that makes drone detection systems, has had equipment in Ukraine since 2023. The company says it has rapidly developed upgrades to help US allies by allowing detection of larger attack drones at much greater distances as Russia ramps up its bombing.
“If it wasn't for Ukraine and all the work we put in there, we probably wouldn't have the products we have in North America,” said Kristian Brost, US director of Robin Radar. He explained that his team collected real-time data and received constant feedback from Ukrainian commanders.
The company's flagship IRIS radar is currently deployed in several Middle Eastern countries to counter Shahed missile and drone attacks launched by Iran.
Siete Hamminga, managing director of Robin Radar, says Iran is “really following exactly the same patterns” that Russia is applying in Ukraine, calling the situation “another red flag for Western society”.
Western defense companies are pushing to secure a presence in Ukraine, with the goal of gaining “battle-tested” status. This is essential to having equipment capable of functioning in modern, large-scale warfare that requires constant upgrades.
And officials consider that presence vital. Luke Pollard, Britain's defense minister, said last year that “if you're a drone company and you don't have your equipment on the front line in Ukraine, you might as well give up.” The front-line experience gave Robin Radar “a purpose and a direction” but also a necessary “stamp of approval” in the defense world.
The firm's representatives expressed concern about the degree of US preparedness. “There are a few, but very few people who defend our homeland,” Brost said, adding that the U.S. probably lags behind Europe in this regard.
He warned that drones could endanger targets ranging from stadiums to nuclear facilities, stressing that it doesn't take sophisticated actors to make them work: “I'm very concerned about that.”
