US considers cheaper air defence options against Shahed-style drones

The United States is exploring more cost-effective air defence solutions to counter Iranian Shahed-type kamikaze drones, Matthew Whitaker, the US Permanent Representative to NATO, said in an interview with Fox Business.

Whitaker highlighted the stark cost difference between advanced missile systems and the drones they target.

He noted that one Patriot missile costs about $4 million, while the price of Iranian Shahed drones “does not exceed $20,000.”

The Patriot missile system, a cornerstone of the US Army’s air and missile defence, also forms a key part of NATO’s integrated air defence network in Europe. The high cost of intercepting relatively inexpensive drones has prompted US officials to consider alternative systems that could provide effective defence without straining budgets.

By Sabina Mammadli