"The cost was measured almost immediately in blood and treasure. In the first two days of the war alone, the U.S. burned through a reported $5.6 billion in munitions."
"Shooting down $20,000 drones with multimillion-dollar interceptors is unsustainable against a comparatively modest adversary like Iran and becomes completely unthinkable in a scenario involving China or Russia."
"Iran's Shahed-136 loitering munition, costing between $20,000 and $50,000 per unit, has become one of the defining weapons of the 21st-century battlefield."
"Moscow has set a production rate of up to 1,000 Geran-2 drones per day, showcasing the rapid advancements in drone warfare capabilities among U.S. adversaries."
The U.S. military's reliance on expensive munitions, such as Tomahawk missiles, has proven economically unsustainable in conflicts against adversaries like Iran. The rapid depletion of missile inventory and the high costs associated with intercepting low-cost drones highlight a critical imbalance. Meanwhile, countries like Iran and Russia are advancing their drone capabilities, producing them in large quantities. The U.S. struggles to keep pace, with adversaries demonstrating effective mass production of drones that reshape modern warfare dynamics.
Read at The Cipher Brief
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