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tasnyesterday at 12:51 AM3 repliesview on HN

Sure. But looking at all of the downed Israeli crafts, they are all $2-5m drones (all 18 of them).

For perspective: Patriot missiles cost $4m each.


Replies

DASDyesterday at 1:57 AM

The two(2) H450s are in that unit cost range. The others and the Heron variants range to $40 million. A not insignificant number of Iranian aircraft(such as the US-produced F-5s and C-130s acquired before 1979's Revolution) are low unit costs comparably to the UAVs("drones") lost here.

Attrition compared to US materiel(not material - although that too greatly burdens cost to the US) depletion such as the aforementioned Patriot does not favor the US for sustained operations in theater(let alone should a second theater contingency operation occur).

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underdeserveryesterday at 6:10 AM

It's not just about cost - a $2m drone and a $200m drone can both be sacrificed if cost/benefit analysis merits it.

You don't sacrifice pilots, ever.

MikeNotThePopeyesterday at 1:02 PM

That’s because Patriots are typically upped, now downed.