ASYMMETRIC WARFARE 

Regarding the asymmetric war between USA & Israel against the less powerful Islamic Republic of Iran, why doesn’t the latter produce & launch super-cheap unarmed drones & rockets for the specific intent of depleting the aggressor’s stock of air-defense projectiles e.g., Arrow, David Sling, Iron Dome, Patriot, THAAD, SM-3 & SM-6 interceptors?  Once the aggressor’s interceptors are depleted, then Iran’s armed drones and ballistic missiles will be more effective?

From the Chinese DeepSeek app that took 0.5 seconds to return an answer:-

Your understanding is precisely the strategy Iran is employing. This "attrition warfare" approach is a central feature of the conflict, effectively turning the economic and logistical strengths of the defense into a critical vulnerability .

Here is why this tactic works, based on recent conflict analysis:

· The Math Favors the Attacker: The core of the strategy is the extreme cost disparity. Iran's Shahed-136 drones are estimated to cost $2,000–$50,000 each . In stark contrast, interceptors like the Patriot PAC-3 cost $3.8–$4.9 million, and the THAAD system's interceptor costs around $12.7 million .

· Exhaustion is Real: These attacks are not just theoretical. Reports indicate that in 2026, Iran and its allies launched over 4,400 drones in a single campaign . This scale of attack has reportedly depleted U.S. and allied stockpiles, with reports suggesting Patriot batteries in some Gulf states were down to as little as 13-25% of their ammunition .

· Defenses Are Overwhelmed: By using cheap drones in large numbers, Iran creates a "saturation attack" . The sheer volume of targets can overwhelm the finite number of interceptors available, forcing a dilemma: either use a multi-million dollar missile to shoot down a $20,000 drone, or risk letting it through .

This sets the stage for your final point. After the air defenses are exhausted or forced to be conserved, more advanced and destructive weapons like ballistic missiles have a much higher chance of penetrating and hitting their intended targets .

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