Overview
- U.S. forces at Prince Sultan Air Base have integrated the Ukraine-built Sky Map in recent weeks, with Ukrainian trainers on site, according to multiple reports citing people with knowledge.
- Sky Map serves as a command hub that fuses radar and other sensor feeds to spot hostile drones such as Shaheds and to cue interceptor responses.
- The base fields a layered setup that includes the FAAD tracking system, RTX Coyote interceptors for short-range threats, and newer Merops drones, and a Merops test this month ended in a crash that highlighted control issues.
- Repeated Iran-linked strikes at the base destroyed an E-3 AWACS, damaged refueling tankers, and killed at least one service member, driving urgency to tighten defenses.
- The move also contrasts with President Trump’s March 6 statement that the U.S. did not need Ukrainian help on drone defense, even as officials stress there is no single tool that stops every threat.