Overview
- Iran has leaned on mass‑produced Shahed “kamikaze” drones, priced roughly $20,000 to $50,000 each, to saturate U.S. and allied air defenses.
- Defenders often answer with missiles that cost millions per shot, including Patriot rounds at about $4 million, which creates a sharp cost gap.
- U.S. spending climbed quickly, with reporting citing $11.3 billion in the war’s opening stretch and an AEI estimate of $25 billion to $35 billion by early April, much of it for interceptors.
- The drones use simple, pre‑programmed guidance with long range and carry about 40 kilograms of explosives, which blunts jamming and complicates detection.
- The Pentagon has moved interceptor drones such as the Merops Surveyor to the region and is exploring lasers and AI‑enabled options, while India is pushing home‑grown swarms.