https://www.wsj.com/business/blackwaters-erik-prince-launches-air-defense-startup-643c9298
Private military contractor and President Trump ally Erik Prince is growing his empire of security work with the launch of a startup that he says will help protect critical infrastructure such as data centers, energy installations and military bases from drone attacks.
Prince said Friday he has formed Vectus Air Defense Systems to provide companies, militaries and governments with the design and operation of customized air-defense systems. He’s formed the company with Ukrainian drone software company Swarmer, which owns a 20% stake in the new startup.
“It’s clear that the threat is evolving rapidly and the demand for a private-sector solution is very strong,” said Prince, who is a former Navy SEAL. Vectus would reduce the cost of air-defense systems for governments and the private sector, he said.
Prince, who has had business interests in Ukraine since before the country’s war with Russia began in 2022, became chairman of the board at Swarmer in December, shortly after meeting the company through one of its investors. Swarmer’s software enables groups of drones to coordinate with each other in attacks and adapt to changing battlefield conditions. Its software has helped the Ukrainians advance AI-powered drone swarms to attack Russian positions.
Vectus and Swarmer said the air-defense designs will pull together software from Swarmer and technology from a range of other vendors, including providers of sensors, electronic warfare, drone interceptors, guns and cannons. Among the potential participants: Powerus, a drone company backed by the president’s sons, Don Jr. and Eric Trump.
Powerus, which is expected to start publicly trading in October after completing a reverse merger with a Trump-backed golf course holding company, has a partnership with Swarmer. It also announced on Thursday a $22 million contract to provide counterdrone technology to oil and gas operators in the Middle East.
It will also aim to sell into Ukraine, where Russian strikes have caused massive damage in Kyiv amid a shortfall of interceptors, and other parts of Europe under threat from Russia. Ukraine has relied on American-supplied Patriot interceptor missiles, but the U.S. has used up much of its stockpile during the war with Iran.