What to Know About Iran’s Drones, Which Are Cheap to Launch but Expensive to Intercept
The New York Times • • world
Key Points:
- The United States dominates the airspace above Iran but faces a cost disadvantage in countering Iran's low-cost drone attacks, with interception costs significantly higher than the price of the drones themselves.
- Iran has launched over 2,000 one-way drones since recent attacks by the U.S. and Israel, with some drones successfully reaching their targets despite advanced and expensive air defense systems.
- Iranian Shahed drones are small, truck-launchable loitering munitions with explosive payloads, making them difficult to detect and intercept effectively.
- The long-range Shahed 136 drone can travel approximately 1,200 miles, enabling Iran to strike targets across the Middle East.
- The cost imbalance between inexpensive attack drones and costly defense
