Source: Fortune
Summary
The US military’s war on Iran has highlighted the high costs of advanced warfare, with expensive missiles and interceptors being used to counter cheap drones. The US has claimed over 7,000 strikes on Iranian targets, but the country’s forces have retained enough power to attack Gulf neighbors and disrupt oil supplies. The conflict has also raised concerns about the US’s inventory of munitions, with the Pentagon seeking an additional $200 billion to address shortages. The war has also led to a re-evaluation of the economics of warfare, with the US military looking to adopt cheaper and more efficient technologies, such as drones used by Ukraine in its conflict with Russia.
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The numbers tell one story. The US military’s reliance on expensive missiles and interceptors has led to unsustainable costs in the war on Iran. The Pentagon’s request for an additional $200 billion to address shortages has raised eyebrows. Lockheed Martin’s goal of producing over 2,000 PAC-3 interceptors annually won’t be reached until 2030. The war has also highlighted the importance of adapting to new technologies, such as drones, which are being used by Ukraine in its conflict with Russia. The US military is now looking to adopt similar technologies, including a copycat version of the Iranian Shahed drone.
The future of warfare is being redefined by the conflict in Ukraine, where drones are responsible for most battlefield casualties. The US military is taking note, with the Pentagon planning to mass-produce its own LUCAS drone. The war in Iran has shown that quantity has a quality all its own.
Author: Evan Null
