UAE defence forces have now intercepted 2,256 drone attacks, 537 ballistic missiles, and 26 cruise missiles since 28 February 2026. The figures, reported by the UAE Ministry of Defence, represent the largest counter-drone operational dataset ever assembled. Qatar's Ras Laffan LNG complex, which processes roughly 25% of global liquefied natural gas trade, suffered a 17% output loss from strikes that will take years to reverse.
CSIS recorded those UAE figures as part of a broader campaign totalling 4,446 launches since 28 February, with the Emirates absorbing 55% of all incoming strikes. The granular breakdown now available transforms procurement decisions from theoretical wargaming to evidence-based attrition accounting. Factory owners, government buyers, and investors can price interceptor demand against real consumption data rather than peacetime estimates.
Iran's rationing strategy inverts standard attrition logic. The Soufan Center's assessment that Iran is deliberately managing a long-duration campaign, rather than sprinting to deplete stocks, means that current interception rates will persist for months. Combined with DroneShield's EU manufacturing ramp-up, the demand signal is now driving parallel production scaling across multiple continents.
For European energy consumers, the Ras Laffan damage is a structural supply shock. Qatar's LNG output will remain depressed through 2027 at minimum, sustaining elevated gas prices and adding political pressure for energy-security spending that historically channels into defence budgets.
