Sending a million-dollar missile to shoot down a drone worth a few hundred bucks.

a reply to: turbo8

Article link.

Solid-state laser weapons offer war-fighters unique capabilities for the battlefield: precision, controllability, predictability, repeatability and flexibility. These laser systems will enable Soldiers to defeat multiple threats and affect materiel targets. Each engagement, whether disabling an enemy’s communications antenna or causing low-order detonation of an artillery round in flight, has an average cost of $30.

$30 a shot.

a reply to: Blaine91555

It'll be nice when it's finally up and running, but they're still a few years away from operational, even their version. They're encountering a few issues long term.

Looks like a couple of knowledgeable members just "shot down" this thread before the "engines idled up"
Anyone want to do a "Cost Comparison" on that ?

a reply to: Zaphod58

Iranian made would make sense. Thanks, I don't know much about this stuff. I'll look that stuff up.

a reply to: Gothmog



That's one of the things I love most about this place. There is a lot of knowledge on a lot of topics in the brain cells posting here.

a reply to: Blaine91555

In February Israel claimed to have shot down a Saeqeh UAV, which was developed from the RQ-170 that they got their hands on back in 2011. It could also be one of the types they developed from that. The ones I mentioned are all used by the Syrian military, but Iran has also been flying their own UAVs in Syria as well, so it could be one of theirs.

I would think the intel that the UAV is gathering could be equipment worth more than the price of the missle, or the cost in human lives if the intel leads to others strikes and or operations?

a reply to: Kharron


$38 Billion spread over 10 years...

"The Chosen Ones" to spend the snip out of "aid" provided by the US Taxpayer..

www.abovetopsecret.com...

a reply to: AndyFromMichigan

I’ve been doing some consulting work for an Israel based drone company.
Because I am under a NDA, I will leave their name out of this.
However once I’m released from my consultation duties
I will be proving to ATS that “Sky Net” is already here, with one hell of a write up.

Anyways, They are an industrial drone company that has moved into the Israeli air defence.

I can’t get into detail about what exactly what I’m helping on, but it consists of drones targeting other drones, ground personnel, and other aircraft.
With a little digging I’m sure any well versed sleuth here can come up with the company name. But their ultimate goal is to have these things every 5-10km in every major city as part of crime defence network.

Currently it costs $500,000 /year to rent just 1 of these system (you can’t own any of their drones)
Each one Is connected to a centralized IoT, based out of Israel.

There is no pilot needed for these. They land themselves in a 3 ton, blast proof metal box, a robotic arm switches out their payload and batteries in 30 seconds and they are redeployed.

I was in a conference call last week where I was shown one of the new prototypes in action at an African based mine site. There is A LOT of trouble down there. Major civil unrest in the mining areas. Heavy security is needed 24/7 with Armed guards patroling the area.

From the video, it showed a suspected Rebel group attempting to approached the mine sites fence - which the drone is constantly monitoring through micro-seismic sensors ( think Area 51s footstep detectors. Same thing. good up to 2 km)

The drone is triggered by the sensor and is deployed to the area. It monitored them, ran their faces through A database and allowed them to get within a certain distance from the fence.
Once the drone determined that these guys were a threat - yes the drone determines that.
It Issued its warning siren which depending on the threat it can give an allotted amount of time to leave the immediate area peacefully...unless gun fire is detected.
If gun fire is detected then it goes all out right then.
But if not, they have their chance.

In this instance, The armed guards came to the area to stop the attack. This drone - as mentioned is a prototype with no ordinance on it at this time.

It is mind blowing to think that a drone - which I’m a huge advocate for, as many here know, with my own UAV company, That AI will be making the determination if action is to be taken on someone based on a threat level.

Who needs emotion and understanding behind the controls, when AI will do the dirty work for you I guess.

Sending a million-dollar missile to shoot down a drone worth a few hundred bucks.

Maybe the like watching purdy fireworks in the sky?

originally posted by: CharlesT
It's only money. Governments print it by the truckloads.

And the pallet loads that they send to Iran to buy the drones they shoot down.

a reply to: AndyFromMichigan

I think a better analogy is star wars and the Cold War..

Russia broke itself to compete with nonexistent military programs..

If they can make isreal trade 3 millio for a hundred dollar drone consistently ..


They could hypothetically bankrupt the military..

a reply to: JoshuaCox

They're not though. They're shooting down large military class UAVs, not hundred dollar quadcopters. These UAVs can run into the millions of dollars quite easily.

originally posted by: thepixelpusher
And the pallet loads that they send to Iran to buy the drones they shoot down.

Reminds me of the joke about Taco Bell investing in toilet paper companies to corner "both ends" of the market, so to speak.

a reply to: Macenroe82

Sure sounds like the future is here. Not sure if I'm happy or sad about that.

I can see the sense in the drone acting autonomously. It will become a real deterrent and might actually reduce casualties.

originally posted by: Blaine91555

Image Source

I don't know, but it seems to me that military drones are not cheap at all. I just looked at a small one like the police use that's $25,000+. Then you have the costs on the ground.

Once again proof the tax payers get ripped off anytime anyone makes something for the military..

I make a new "do dad" and the military likes and needs it a lot.. I say I will sell it to you for $1.98 and they say sorry unless the value is $198,000 it has no value to us.. OK $198,000 it is ! Just a fairy tale but at times it certainly seems that way..

I would expect all the effort going into Lasers will soon bear fruit as far as taking out drones. 1000 shots on one battery charge and the low flying drone boys will be out of business I would expect.. A big expensive missile versus a laser cannon or rifle.. no contest.. Except wait till you see the cost of the laser or the super duper battery pack.. The charger is not included but can be purchased separately...I can see it now !!

Kinda like the person who many years ago said if you think medical care is expensive now, "Just wait until they claim it is free"!

a reply to: Macenroe82

Your write up is scary and I can't wait to read the rest. When is that NDA up, few years or as soon as the job is done?

I think we are already conditioned to accept automated police, such as what you describe. Police, human police, is already starting to respond automatically to the most minimum amount of threat - a dog running toward them, person just moving or not following directions, without acting threatening and so on.

Every time we read this and we are ok with it, we are being conditioned to automated responses, actions without thought or feelings.

We'll accept the supremacy of drones no problems. People are frogs.

a reply to: 727Sky

It's not a sign of being ripped off. The numbers on that graphic are off somewhat. There's a lot of R&D cost and infrastructure cost that goes into building those UAVs. Unit cost isn't just for a single aircraft. The Reaper is a good example. You don't just buy one aircraft at a time, and nothing else. Each Reaper is bought as a CAP, which is four aircraft, plus ground station. The actual cost is more like $30-35M per CAP, or somewhere around there. There's so much more that goes into these than just the cost shows.

There's a lot of room for improvement in military contracts, but it's not the giant ripoff that people seem to believe it is. Building these things isn't cheap to begin with, and when you add in everything else that goes with them, it gets a lot more expensive.

originally posted by: Macenroe82
a reply to: AndyFromMichigan

I’ve been doing some consulting work for an Israel based drone company.
Because I am under a NDA, I will leave their name out of this.
However once I’m released from my consultation duties
I will be proving to ATS that “Sky Net” is already here, with one hell of a write up.

Anyways, They are an industrial drone company that has moved into the Israeli air defence.

I can’t get into detail about what exactly what I’m helping on, but it consists of drones targeting other drones, ground personnel, and other aircraft.
With a little digging I’m sure any well versed sleuth here can come up with the company name. But their ultimate goal is to have these things every 5-10km in every major city as part of crime defence network.

Currently it costs $500,000 /year to rent just 1 of these system (you can’t own any of their drones)
Each one Is connected to a centralized IoT, based out of Israel.

There is no pilot needed for these. They land themselves in a 3 ton, blast proof metal box, a robotic arm switches out their payload and batteries in 30 seconds and they are redeployed.

I was in a conference call last week where I was shown one of the new prototypes in action at an African based mine site. There is A LOT of trouble down there. Major civil unrest in the mining areas. Heavy security is needed 24/7 with Armed guards patroling the area.

From the video, it showed a suspected Rebel group attempting to approached the mine sites fence - which the drone is constantly monitoring through micro-seismic sensors ( think Area 51s footstep detectors. Same thing. good up to 2 km)

The drone is triggered by the sensor and is deployed to the area. It monitored them, ran their faces through A database and allowed them to get within a certain distance from the fence.
Once the drone determined that these guys were a threat - yes the drone determines that.
It Issued its warning siren which depending on the threat it can give an allotted amount of time to leave the immediate area peacefully...unless gun fire is detected.
If gun fire is detected then it goes all out right then.
But if not, they have their chance.

In this instance, The armed guards came to the area to stop the attack. This drone - as mentioned is a prototype with no ordinance on it at this time.

It is mind blowing to think that a drone - which I’m a huge advocate for, as many here know, with my own UAV company, That AI will be making the determination if action is to be taken on someone based on a threat level.

Who needs emotion and understanding behind the controls, when AI will do the dirty work for you I guess.

sounds like the drone from "Oblivion", except the oblivion drone is shoot first and don't worry about the questions!

a reply to: AndyFromMichigan
If it was targeted by a patriot missile, it was not a few hundred dollars drone. They would have used a simple electronic jammer for those kinds of drones, the Israelis have them.

Have you seen the drone, do you have an image?? Has anyone taken credit and stated exactly what kind of drone it is?? Israelis know what they are doing probably more than anyone.

Iran continues to test Israels borders. They are identifying the most strategic points to launch their ground offensive to retake the Golan heights.