Drones have moved to the forefront of military technology across the world. The Middle East has emerged as one of the leading manufacturing hubs for these types of weapons and countries in the region are increasingly using them in warfare. Who are the countries leading this race?
Israel
Israel is considered a pioneer in drone technology, with a well-established industry in this field. Israeli companies have developed a variety of drones used for surveillance, reconnaissance, and combat roles. The Israeli military extensively uses these drones for intelligence gathering and targeted operations.
Turkey
Turkey has made significant advances in drone technology in recent years, becoming a leading power in this field both regionally and globally. Turkish-made drones, such as the Bayraktar and Anka models, have been widely used in Syria, Libya, and Azerbaijan, demonstrating their capabilities on the battlefield.
Iran
Iran has developed a range of drones and supplied them to its proxies, including Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen, who have used them extensively to target commercial vessels in the Bab-el-Mandeb waterway. Tehran has also demonstrated its capabilities by supplying drones to Russia for use in the war against Ukraine and later in its direct attack on Israel.
Saudi Arabia
For decades, Saudi Arabia and Israel have been the dominant air powers in the Middle East. Riyadh began enhancing its military capabilities with drones in 2014, signing a deal with China in 2017 and Turkey last year. Baykar Technology announced it had signed the largest two joint military manufacturing deals in Turkey’s history, involving drone production within the Kingdom.
Riyadh has also reached deals with US companies – including one between Fortem Technologies and the Saudi company INTRA Defence Technologies – to manufacture drones capable of detecting, tracking, and attacking aerial threats.
The United Arab Emirates
The UAE has been focusing on acquiring and manufacturing high-tech military equipment. It has purchased drones from the US and China and is developing its own capabilities through manufacturing partnerships with the company EDGE.
