WSJ: US redirects key anti-drone equipment from Ukraine to Middle East Over growing tensions with Iran, Houthis

The Trump administration is redirecting a crucial anti-drone technology originally intended for Ukraine to American forces stationed in the Middle East, signalling a reduced Pentagon commitment to Kyiv’s defence.

Last week, the Pentagon quietly informed Congress that special proximity fuzes for ground-based rockets—used by Ukraine to counter Russian drones—will now be allocated to US Air Force units operating in the Middle East, Caliber.Az reports, citing The Wall Street Journal.

This move coincides with President Trump’s recent remarks that Russian President Vladimir Putin warned of a forceful response to Ukrainian attacks, diminishing hopes for a swift end to the conflict that erupted in early 2022.

Meanwhile, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth skipped a NATO meeting with European defence ministers focused on coordinating military aid for Ukraine. He has insisted that European allies bear the brunt of future support for Kyiv, while emphasising the western Pacific as the Pentagon’s strategic priority.

Last month, Hegseth authorised the Pentagon’s Joint Rapid Acquisition Cell to divert the fuzes to the US Air Force, despite them being procured for Ukraine. The Pentagon described this reallocation as a “Secretary of Defense Identified Urgent Issue” in a previously undisclosed communication to the Senate Armed Services Committee, declining to comment further.

The decision highlights a growing scarcity of key defence components as Ukraine braces for increased Russian drone and missile strikes, while US forces in the Middle East prepare for potential conflict with Iran or renewed hostilities with Houthi militants in Yemen.

Supporters of the move argue the Pentagon has the legal flexibility under last year’s emergency military spending legislation to prioritise urgent needs. However, the decision has raised concerns among some US lawmakers backing Ukraine, who criticise the Pentagon for not clarifying the impact on Ukrainian defence capabilities or the urgency of the Air Force’s requirement.

The Biden administration initially arranged for the fuzes to be sent to Ukraine under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, a programme funding billions of dollars’ worth of US-supplied weapons and components. While the allocated funds have been fully committed, deliveries to Ukraine were scheduled to continue this year and next—unless the Trump administration diverts additional systems to replenish US military stocks.

The Trump administration inherited the authority to transfer up to $3.85 billion in weapons from Pentagon reserves to Ukraine but refrained from requesting further funding for the assistance programme.

The fuzes are designed for the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System, a laser-guided rocket for ground-to-air defence against drones. The system’s “proximity fuze” detonates explosives as the rocket nears its target, enhancing its effectiveness. The US Air Force has modified these rockets to be launched from F-15E fighter jets to engage Iranian or Houthi drones, providing a cost-effective alternative to traditional air-to-air missiles like the Sidewinder or AMRAAM.

A recent image released by US Central Command showed an F-15E equipped with rocket pods, underscoring the strategic importance of the system in the Middle East theatre.

The Senate Armed Services Committee is considering measures to increase production of components for the counter-drone system, potentially through the current congressional reconciliation bill, according to an aide.

This reallocation marks a significant shift in US military priorities amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and heightened tensions in the Middle East.

By Aghakazim Guliyev