Origin in Ukraine: 10,000 Drone Interceptors Deployed to the Middle East
Bloomberg News: The United States has deployed 10,000 AI-equipped anti-drone interceptors to the Middle East region. These drones were developed in Ukraine and have been used in combat.
This batch of drones is the Merops-type interceptor, with a unit price of approximately $14,000–$15,000, far lower than the cost of air defense missiles.
Purpose of Deployment: To defend against Iranian attacks without consuming expensive missile defense systems.
The report points out that the widespread use of the Merops system may fundamentally change the balance of power between the United States and Israel. Previously, they had to rely on air defense systems such as Patriot and THAAD to destroy Iranian drones and ballistic missiles, while the cost of a single missile from such systems could exceed $4 million.
Original: toutiao.com/article/1859599932304384/
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