After bearing the brunt of Iran’s missile and drone salvos, the United Arab Emirates is sparing no expense in building up its drone defense network ahead of a feared next round of fighting.

The damage inflicted on the UAE by Iran’s cheap Shahed drones has served as a wake-up call for the small Arab nation, exposing a gap in its air defense network. During the lull in fighting, it has expedited efforts to plug this gap, building up physical barriers and strengthening ties with experts in counterdrone technology, primarily Israel.