How cheap Iranian drones are costing Gulf countries millions to intercept
Several Gulf countries spend around $3.7 million per Patriot missile to stop Iranian drones that cost approximately $35,000. This cost asymmetry creates a massive financial burden.
The massive price gap
A single Iranian drone costs roughly $35,000, while the Patriot PAC-3 missile used to intercept it costs a staggering $3.7 million. Several Gulf nations are using these missiles to intercept Iranian drones, highlighting the huge cost disparity.
Patriot PAC-3: The $3.7 million shield
The Patriot PAC-3 is a high-tech interceptor designed for ballistic missiles, making it an extremely expensive choice for stopping small, slow-moving drones.
Cheap drones
Iranian-made Shahed drones are built using off-the-shelf components, allowing Iran to launch large swarms at a fraction of the cost of one interceptor.
Strategy of economic attrition
Military experts suggest Iran uses these cheap drones to force Gulf nations to deplete their expensive missile stockpiles and drain their budgets.
Protecting high-value targets
Despite the cost, the UAE must use these missiles because a single $35,000 drone could destroy oil infrastructure worth billions of dollars.
The search for cheaper solutions
To fix this imbalance, Gulf nations are now looking at laser weapons and rapid-fire cannons that cost only a few dollars per shot to operate.
Sustainability of the shield
With the cost ratio at nearly 100 to 1, maintaining a traditional missile-based air defence is becoming financially unsustainable for long-term regional conflicts.
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