• aleq@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    12
    arrow-down
    3
    ·
    10 months ago

    4 000 000 a missile, 100 000x times more expensive than a military drone? what military drone costs $40?

    I don’t know what models are in use today, but a Bayraktar TB2 costs 4 million.

    • JJROKCZ@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      6
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      10 months ago

      The Ukrainians and houthis are having successful attacks with consumer drones that have hand grenades or ieds taped to them. You don’t need a “military grade” drone to fly an explosive where it shouldn’t be

      • Coreidan@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        3
        ·
        edit-2
        10 months ago

        You aren’t going to take out an arms warehouse, a bridge, or anything of tactical meaningfulness with a grenade drone.

        They are good for taking out soft targets but that’s about it. Their use is extremely limited as grenades are only good as anti-personnel weapons.

        Comparing them to Patriot missiles is silly. Different uses.

        They wouldn’t use Patriot missiles on targets where grenades are effective.

        • JJROKCZ@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          3
          arrow-down
          1
          ·
          10 months ago

          A block of c4 is as easily taped to a drone as a grenade and that will take out the targets you mentioned.

          • Coreidan@lemmy.world
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            2
            ·
            10 months ago

            A block of C4 would put maybe dents in the type of targets that Patriot missiles are designed for.

            You also need to be within vicinity of your target to be able to operate a drone, which a missile doesn’t need.

            Drones can be easily jammed. Missiles aren’t easily jammed, not with the same tech stack needed for drone jamming.

            Apples and oranges. Different targets, different engagements, different applications entirely.

            • JJROKCZ@lemmy.world
              link
              fedilink
              English
              arrow-up
              2
              ·
              10 months ago

              I’m not saying they replace Patriot missiles, obviously that’s not the case. I’m just saying you can cause a lot of damage with a $100 dollar drone and some c4, pretty similar damage to a $400,000 missile. The missiles aren’t really showing their cost-impact ratios to be good if what the Russians are spending on Ukraine is to be taken as evidence

        • frezik@midwest.social
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          1
          ·
          edit-2
          10 months ago

          Don’t forget scouting. Giving soldiers in the field the ability to poke one over a hill can be useful. A $25 FPV drone off Amazon can do that job if that’s all you can afford.

          Not that you’d use a Patriot against that, either.

        • Cinner@lemmy.worldB
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          1
          arrow-down
          1
          ·
          edit-2
          10 months ago

          soft targets

          now that’s a multiple meaning I can get behind. soft, pudgy, vodka filled targets.

    • nekandro@lemmy.ml
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      3
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      10 months ago

      Both Russia and Ukraine are heavily reliant on consumer drones from the likes of DJI. Those run in the 1000-4000 dollar range.