Erik Prince, the founder of Blackwater and a prominent figure in the private military contracting industry, is aggressively pitching his services in Ukraine, particularly in the lucrative drone sector.
This move comes amid reports that Donald Trump’s administration is considering utilizing US private military contractors in a post-war Ukraine.
According to sources, Prince is seeking to acquire drone companies with a presence in Ukraine, capitalizing on the country’s emerging drone technologies and coveted battlefield data.
The Ukrainian drone sector has become increasingly attractive to Western investors and defense companies, given the significant role drones have played in the conflict, accounting for an estimated 80% of Russian casualties.
Prince’s interest in this sector is seen as an opportunistic move, given his history of profit-seeking from foreign wars and his close ties with the Trump administration.
“Drones are now an integral part of the PMC world,” said a former American 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 sentiment highlights the growing importance of drone technology in modern warfare and the potential benefits for private military contractors like Prince’s Vectus Global.
Prince’s business dealings have been marred by controversy, including a 2007 massacre in Baghdad committed by Blackwater contractors, which led to prison sentences, congressional inquiries, and blacklistings of the firm.
Additionally, Prince’s work founding a Chinese mercenary company, which hired ex-members of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army, has raised concerns about his reputation and potential intelligence liabilities.
“Prince has a bad reputation generally in the industry,” said an executive at a multinational drone company. “No clean person will hire him.” This reputation may pose challenges for Prince as he seeks to establish himself in the Ukrainian drone sector.
The Pentagon has expressed interest in partnering with US drone manufacturers that have a presence in Ukraine, aiming to understand how the next major conflict will be fought and what their soldiers will need.
In July, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced the “Unleashing US Military Drone Dominance” initiative, calling for the mass production and adoption of unmanned aerial vehicle platforms.
“Drones are the biggest battlefield innovation in a generation, accounting for most of this year’s casualties in Ukraine,” Hegseth said.
“Emergent technologies require new funding lines.” This initiative underscores the growing importance of drone technology in modern warfare and the potential opportunities for companies like Vectus Global.
Prince’s interest in Ukraine is not new. In 2020, he pitched a multibillion-dollar plan to then-President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to help settle the conflict in the eastern Donbas region using his private army.
Although the deal never materialized, Prince’s continued interest in Ukraine’s drone sector suggests he sees potential for profit and influence in the region.
“He’s doing it in Haiti, so why not?” said Morgan Lerrette, a former Blackwater contractor. “From a strategic look, [Prince] is going places where there are minerals and the US wants to create joint sovereign wealth funds. Ukraine fits that.”
This assessment highlights Prince’s opportunistic approach to business dealings and his focus on strategic locations with valuable resources.