Why the US military is stuck using $1 million missiles against Iran’s $20,000 drones

Bureaucratic hurdles mean the US military typically has to wait a decade between the time it sees a new threat and the employment of a new system to defend against it.

By: Aaron Brynildson, University of Mississippi, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: April 21, 2026

Words: 1,344

Last Updated: 3 months, 1 week ago

Body Text Preview

By Aaron Brynildson, University of Mississippi

It may sound hard to believe, but the almost trillion-dollar U.S. military is struggling to fight cheap drones in its war with Iran.

Iran has built a simple drone, the Shahed, with a motorcycle-type engine, loaded it with explosives and successfully targeted its neighbors’ cities and power plants.

Iran has also hit U.S. military bases with these drones, including an early April …

Create a free account to access this story and more

Join Plucky Wire to access full stories, collaborate with newsrooms, and discover content from networks around the world.

About

FAQ

Email Us