Blackwater Founder Targets Ukraine Drone Makers Amid Pentagon “Drone Dominance” Drive

Erik Prince, founder of the now-defunct private military company Blackwater, is actively pursuing acquisitions in Ukraine’s drone industry, according to multiple sources cited by the Guardian. Prince’s reported efforts come as former President Donald Trump’s administration considers using U.S. private military contractors in a postwar Ukraine.

Prince’s activities highlight the growing commercial and strategic value of Ukraine’s drone sector. Since drones have accounted for an estimated 80% of Russian casualties, Kyiv’s emergent industry has become both a battlefield asset and a magnet for international investors. Analysts say Prince’s approach underscores a broader trend of defense contractors adapting to a war dominated by unmanned systems.

Pursuit of Strategic Assets

Sources told the Guardian that Prince has been “going out there to buy drone companies,” seeking meetings with leading manufacturers in Ukraine. One source emphasized that “for the Ukrainians these companies are now strategic assets,” raising doubts about whether any sale would be permitted. Prince’s timing aligns with Trump’s failed attempt in August to broker a peace agreement between Moscow and Kyiv. The outreach also follows Prince’s earlier efforts to position himself in conflict zones where emerging technologies intersect with resource wealth.

Blackwater Legacy and Reputational Hurdles

Prince’s name remains closely tied to the 2007 massacre in Baghdad carried out by Blackwater contractors, which resulted in prison sentences, congressional scrutiny, and eventual blacklisting of his firm (source). Despite these setbacks, Prince has continued to pursue military and security ventures abroad. “He’s doing it in Haiti, so why not?” said Morgan Lerrette, a former Blackwater contractor turned critic of the industry. Lerrette noted that Prince has repeatedly targeted countries with mineral wealth where U.S. influence is strong (source). Industry executives voiced skepticism about Prince’s credibility.

One multinational reportedly drone company leader said, “Prince has a bad reputation generally in the industry. No clean person will hire him.” The executive added that Prince’s founding of a Chinese security company employing ex-People’s Liberation Army personnel had made him an “intelligence liability”.

Drones Redefining Private Military Contracting

Observers say the rise of drones has transformed the private military contractor (PMC) sector.

“Drones are now an integral part of the PMC world,” said a former U.S. special forces soldier with experience in Ukraine. “If you’re a PMC and you don’t have a drone or possibly an electronic warfare capability, you are antiquated”.

This shift marks the end of what some describe as the “gunslinger” era of private contracting, when firms like Blackwater supplied armed guards and operators to U.S. government agencies in Iraq and Afghanistan.

U.S. Military and Corporate Partnerships

Prince’s interest comes as the Pentagon itself is accelerating investment in drone technology. In July, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth declared he was “Unleashing U.S. Military Drone Dominance,” calling for mass adoption of unmanned aerial systems.

“Drones are the biggest battlefield innovation in a generation, accounting for most of this year’s casualties in Ukraine,” Hegseth said.

American tech and defense leaders, including former Google CEO Eric Schmidt and retired Gen. David Petraeus, have also moved into Ukraine’s drone sector, underscoring its centrality to future conflicts.

Outlook

Whether Prince succeeds in acquiring a foothold in Ukraine remains uncertain. Past attempts, including a 2020 proposal to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for a private army plan, failed to gain traction. Yet the intersection of war, technology, and private enterprise continues to draw figures like Prince, despite reputational and regulatory barriers. Prince, through his ventures Vectus Global and Unplugged, did not respond to multiple requests for comment.