Powerus Opens UAE Interceptor Factory, Targets 15,000 Units a Month by Mid-2027
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Aug 23
Powerus Opens UAE Interceptor Factory, Targets 15,000 Units a Month by Mid-2027
2 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Aug 23
Summary
A UAE facility that came online last month is assembling Powerus drone interceptors with 3-D printed parts, giving the Florida start-up its first manufacturing foothold in the Middle East.
Powerus says affiliated factories now produce about 3,000 interceptors a month and is building a regional partner network to lift worldwide output fivefold to 15,000 by mid-2027.
The push is driven by the Iran war, which has depleted U.S.-made interceptor stockpiles and sharpened demand from allied countries seeking faster local supply instead of waiting for exports from new U.S. plants.
More than 2,200 Iranian drones and 500 ballistic missiles have hit targets in the Emirates since February, killing at least 15 people and damaging infrastructure including an oil refinery and two Amazon data centers.
Powerus's Guardian interceptor, based on a Ukrainian design used against Shahed drones, costs about $5,000—underscoring a broader shift toward cheaper, locally made air defenses.