Wall Street Journal: U.S. Military Developing Low-Cost Anti-Drone Measures to Replace Expensive Missiles
The U.S. military is developing new anti-drone solutions aimed at reducing reliance on costly missile systems and cutting operational expenses.
Reports indicate that while some of the new equipment remains expensive, they are far cheaper than air-to-air missiles priced at around $1 million each. The primary solution involves a mobile system mounted on Joint Light Tactical Vehicles (JLTVs): one vehicle equipped with radar, another carrying air defense weapons such as the "Stinger" surface-to-air missile; both vehicles also carry machine guns, general-purpose machine guns, and electronic warfare equipment, enabling flexible selection of the most cost-effective engagement method based on the target.
According to calculations by the Wall Street Journal, 30mm artillery shells with proximity fuses are currently the lowest-cost anti-drone munitions. Engaging a single target requires several of these rounds, resulting in a total cost of approximately $11,250. Other systems are significantly more expensive: the "Coyote" intercept missile costs between $100,000 and $125,000 per unit, while the "Stinger" missile is priced at about $430,000.
Data from the Iran War Cost Tracking website on May 19 shows that U.S. military operations targeting Iran have lasted 79 days, with total expenditures exceeding $85 billion. This data originates from a briefing submitted by the U.S. Department of Defense to Congress on March 10, which stated that the U.S. spent $11.3 billion in the first six days prior to the outbreak of the Middle East conflict, followed by daily spending averaging $1 billion thereafter.
The Financial Times reported on April 7 that the U.S. military’s related expenditures at that time were approximately $30 billion. Elaine McCauskill, a senior researcher at the American Enterprise Institute, noted that estimates from various parties range between $22.3 billion and $31 billion.
Traditional air defense missiles often suffer from a "cost inefficiency paradox" when used against low-cost drones—essentially using high-value weapons to destroy inexpensive targets. In response, the U.S. military is shifting toward diversified countermeasures including artillery, electronic warfare, and low-cost interceptors, with the core objective being optimized cost-effectiveness.
By leveraging light tactical vehicles to create mobile air defense units capable of integrating detection, firepower, and electronic suppression, this approach is well-suited for dynamic front-line anti-drone operations.
Although different institutions’ estimates of U.S.-Iran military operation costs vary, all highlight the massive financial burden of sustained high-intensity military activity—a key driver behind the U.S. military’s urgent push to reduce the cost per anti-drone munition.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1866710932904972/
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