Lessons from Ukraine for Defending Gulf Airspace from Shaheds

A drone strike at Port Shuaiba in Kuwait killed six American servicemembers in March 2026, highlighting critical vulnerabilities in Gulf airspace defense against Iranian Shahed drones. Drawing on lessons from Ukraine's experience countering similar Russian drone attacks, the article examines the cost asymmetry between cheap kamikaze drones and expensive interceptors like Patriot missiles. The piece calls for improved counter-drone layered defense strategies and hardening of critical nodes.