One-way attack drones

Key Points:

• Wars in Ukraine and the Middle East have accelerated the development and deployment of diverse drone types, particularly one-way attack drones designed to destroy targets by crashing into them rather than returning.
• One-way attack drones vary from long-range models like Iran’s Shahed-136, which can travel up to 1,250 miles and cost $20,000-$50,000 each, to short-range FPV drones used extensively on Ukraine’s front lines to inflict significant casualties.
• Iran has launched thousands of one-way attack drones against U.S. bases and allies in the Middle East, overwhelming air defenses through sheer volume despite the drones' slower speeds and vulnerability to interception.
• FPV drones, operated via video-goggle interfaces similar to video games, require skilled pilots and continuous data links, with Ukraine employing physical fiber-optic cables to avoid electronic jamming and using nets as a low-tech countermeasure.
• The widespread use of inexpensive, precise drones has created a new era of "precise mass" warfare, forcing militaries worldwide to invest in both offensive drone capabilities and robust defenses to avoid strategic vulnerabilities.