AI data center construction and the Russia-Ukraine conflict are vying for fiber optic supplies, putting Ukrainian drone manufacturers under pressure from both costs and supply issues. Fiber optic drones, connected to operators via cables, have control links that are less susceptible to electronic warfare interference, leading to their rapid increase in battlefield use. However, they consume vast amounts of fiber, and the cables are often non-recyclable. Estimates show that Russia's fiber optic usage will reach approximately 60 million kilometers (about 37.28 million miles) by 2025, accounting for about 10.5% of global production, up from less than 1% previously. Meanwhile, the continued construction of AI data centers is driving up global fiber optic demand. TrendForce predicts a global fiber optic supply gap of 180 million kilometers by 2026, with supply shortages potentially lasting until 2028. Ukrainian drone manufacturer BlueBird Tech stated that fiber optic prices are expected to increase by approximately 6-10 times compared to 2025. These two demands are competing for the same type of industrial material: AI infrastructure requires large amounts of fiber optics for high-speed data transmission, while the battlefield translates it into jam-resistant control links for drones.
