• Addfwyn@lemmygrad.ml
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        19
        arrow-down
        2
        ·
        1 year ago

        I might be misremembering, but doesn’t the iron dome rely pretty heavily on volume of missiles being shot as a defensive response rather than precision accuracy? Meaning each missile might “only” be 80k but they are launching like a dozen of them?

        80k is still hundreds of times more than the rockets Hamas is using anyway.

    • ComradeSalad@lemmygrad.ml
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      20
      ·
      edit-2
      1 year ago

      That’s extremely cheap, most modern munitions are hundreds of thousands, if not millions of dollars.

      Even a 70’s rinky dink Soviet Strela-2 MANPAD is $120,000 per unit.

      • 小莱卡@lemmygrad.ml
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        19
        ·
        1 year ago

        For reference, you can buy a decent > 300hp tractor for 80k. Isnt it absurd that these expendable missiles are on the same price range as a whole damn tractor 😂

        • DefinitelyNotAPhone [he/him]@hexbear.net
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          18
          ·
          1 year ago

          Even putting aside the obvious grift/profit factor of these being made by capitalist companies, the raw materials and engineering that goes into making something that can maneuver at Mach 10 while trying to hit a moving target also moving at Mach 10 aren’t cheap.

          • ComradeSalad@lemmygrad.ml
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            15
            ·
            1 year ago

            A massive amount of the cost comes from the computers, miniaturized guidance and targeting systems, the immense engineering and comp-sci R&D behind those devices, and the sheer difficulty of designing good explosives.

            Even dumb bombs are expensive if you don’t want them to dud, explode randomly, not be aerodynamic, and so on.