2024-04-24 13:44:49
Close-up on the poor man’s new weapon: the low-cost drone manufactured by Iran is revolutionizing the art and industry of war.
It was, among other things, with a myriad of Shaheb drones designed and manufactured in Iran that the Islamic Republic carried out its first direct attack against Israel. Almost all of these drones were intercepted by the IDF and its allies. But at what cost ? The air defense of the Jewish state would have cost 1 billion 500 million dollars. The attack only a few hundred million dollars. Tehran has thus demonstrated its ability to exhaust the resources of its enemy. Another example of this dizzying economic asymmetry that the drone imposes on the battlefield: in Ukraine, in two months, 5 of the 31 Abraham tanks deployed by the United States were destroyed by these Iranian drones launched by the Russian army. A weapon costing only a few tens of thousands of dollars is enough to wipe out a ten million dollar tank.
Also read: Iran launches more than 300 drones and missiles against Israel
Iran’s drone industry boosted by sanctions
Iran was a pioneer in this industry. This is a direct consequence of economic sanctions. As it no longer had the financial and material means to develop its aviation, it fell back on low-cost combat drones. The first model developed by the Shaheb company was presented at an Iranian exhibition ten years ago. 4 years later this Shaheb 131 was used against Saudi Arabia. Today we find the two most common versions of this long-range kamikaze drone, the 131 and the 136, both in Yemen in the hands of the Houthis, in Lebanon in the arsenal of Hezbollah and in Russia. Moscow has signed an agreement with Tehran to produce it on its territory.
The essential drone in the Russia-Ukraine war
A billion-dollar contract with the objective of producing at least 6,000 by 2025. Ukraine is not left out, it only had 400 drones in stock at the start of the war, it plans to make a million this year. For two years these cheap weapons have compensated for the weak equipment of both camps and saved precious human resources. At little cost, the belligerents cause immense economic losses. The Russians are thus targeting Ukrainian thermal power stations and the Ukrainians are targeting Russian refineries.
Also read: Iran presents a new improved military drone
Europe lagging behind
The West must adapt to this irruption of drones developed in the Deep South. Major suppliers to the American army capable of producing high-quality but fairly expensive drones like the Reaper are reluctant to produce low-cost weapons with very limited profitability. Start-ups have taken over thanks to private financing. Like the Anduril company, one of the fastest in this type of weapon, which will deliver defense drones to the American army this year. Europe is struggling. The technology is available but decisions take a long time to make. In France, for example, it was only in February that the ministry placed its very first order for a mini suicide drone.
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