What we think of as conventional air defenses are optimized for objects like aircraft, cruise missiles, rockets and ballistic missiles. That is, fast moving, big pieces of metal, launched from far away, etc.
Ukraine, for example, has had a terrible time trying to interdict the Russian Geran-2 suicide drone (based on the Iranian Shahed 136). It's 11 ft long, made mostly out of plywood, and uses what is basically a lawnmower engine.
The Geran-2's may cost as little as $10K. On the other side of the equation, remember all the noise about the Patriot systems, as if they were crucial? When they fire they use two missiles, and the ones the Ukrainians are probably using cost $3M each. See the mismatch?
The point is, we all need to have a more sophisticated view when "air defense" and airborne threats are discussed.
What we think of as conventional air defenses are optimized for objects like aircraft, cruise missiles, rockets and ballistic missiles. That is, fast moving, big pieces of metal, launched from far away, etc.
Ukraine, for example, has had a terrible time trying to interdict the Russian Geran-2 suicide drone (based on the Iranian Shahed 136). It's 11 ft long, made mostly out of plywood, and uses what is basically a lawnmower engine.
The Geran-2's may cost as little as $10K. On the other side of the equation, remember all the noise about the Patriot systems, as if they were crucial? When they fire they use two missiles, and the ones the Ukrainians are probably using cost $3M each. See the mismatch?
The point is, we all need to have a more sophisticated view when "air defense" and airborne threats are discussed.