These drones cost only $20,000 to $50,000 (approximately 18-45 lakh rupees), but to shoot them down, the US relies on systems like the Patriot missile, where each interceptor costs around $3-4 million (25-33 crore rupees).
In recent days amid escalating Iran-US-Israel tensions, Iran has launched thousands of drones and missiles. These drones can be launched even from the back of trucks, with a range of 1,200-2,500 km. Estimates suggest Iran has thousands of such drones, capable of prolonging the conflict.
This poses a major economic and strategic challenge for the US and its allies. The cost of stopping one drone with a Patriot missile is 60-70 times higher. Some estimates indicate the expense of downing a drone is at least 10 times (or more) the cost of launching it.
The US has cheaper counter-drone options like the Coyote system, costing about $100,000 per interceptor (around 8-9 crore rupees), but even this is far more expensive than the Shahed drone.
Other alternatives include radio frequency jamming, laser weapons, or electronic warfare, though their success is not 100% guaranteed. According to US think tanks and media reports, Iranian attacks are rapidly depleting America's interceptor stockpiles. Shortages in Patriot, THAAD, and other systems could emerge, similar to what was seen in the Ukraine war.
To counter this challenge, the US is also developing low-cost attack drones. The LUCAS (Low-Cost Unmanned Combat Attack System) drone costs about $35,000 (32 lakh rupees) and is based on reverse-engineered Iranian Shahed designs. The US plans to produce hundreds of thousands of such drones by 2028, though their range remains limited for now.
Drones have permanently transformed modern warfare. In the Russia-Ukraine war, Ukraine used Turkish Bayraktar TB2 drones to destroy Russian tanks, while Russia employed Iranian Shahed drones. Hamas also made extensive use of drones in its October 7, 2023 attack.
A drone, or Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), is a pilotless flying robot controlled via GPS, sensors, and software. Its applications have exploded – from surveillance and attacks to delivery services and even farming.
In this conflict, the power of cheap weapons is challenging expensive defenses. Iran is attempting to prolong the war by exhausting US interceptors through drone swarms. The US and its allies must now focus on affordable counter-drone solutions and large-scale production.
The new math of war is clear: cheap and in large numbers – very large numbers – can win. In future conflicts, drones will play an even bigger role, and the country that understands and prepares for this will emerge victorious.
Sajjadali Nayani ✍
Friday World March 6, 2026
