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world5h ago
How Cheap Drones Are Changing Wars Like the Ones in Ukraine and Iran
- The analysis shows cheap drones cost tens of thousands of dollars versus multi-million interceptor missiles, reshaping cost dynamics of modern warfare.
- Experts say cheap drones enable mass attacks, challenging defenses that were built for high-end threats and driving up overall costs.
- Air and ground defenses vary in cost: APKWS rockets and F-16 flight cost roughly $65,000 per drone intercepted, far above the drone price.
- The report notes that the U.S. has limited Coyotes, a cheaper defense, which forced asset shuffling between bases.
- Missile defenses on ships and basing costs show a large gap: SM-2 missiles on destroyers cost around $4.2 million per pair.
- Antidrone systems like the Centurion C-RAM illustrate the high per-shot cost of defense against cheap drones.
- Analysts warn that stockpiles may run dry, complicating future responses to drone threats.
- The piece highlights the potential of AI-powered interceptor drones as a cheaper countermeasure, around the price of a drone itself.
- Overall, the article argues the drone era forces a rethink of defense budgets and strategy across air, sea, and land.
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