• givesomefucks@lemmy.world
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    3 days ago

    “Figured out”…

    It’s a numbers game.

    For every 25k drone they launch, we spend millions to take it down.

    All Iran has to do is keep launching till we can’t shoot em down anymore. Their factories are literally right there. And it’s not like they stop producing them during any ceasefires. Every ceasefire helps Iran 10x as much as it helps us.

    • inari@piefed.zipOP
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      3 days ago

      True, but also this:

      Iran’s military managed to overwhelm U.S. air defense systems using a mix of attack drones and advanced ballistic missiles, according to the official. Numerous factors make the missiles difficult to defeat, the source said: They travel at hypersonic speeds, have complex navigational capabilities including methods to circumvent jamming, and some can be guided or steered.

      • givesomefucks@lemmy.world
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        3 days ago

        We can shoot those down…

        The issue is we’ve been shooting the cheaper than a Honda Civic drones down with what it takes to shoot the ballistic missiles down.

        So they send a swarm of drones, we start over-reacting with interceptors, and then they slip some ballistic missiles in.

        Even if we notice instantly, the timing may be just off enough that they get thru.

        Again, not complicated, and not something they just figured out.

      • MadPsyentist@lemmy.nz
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        3 days ago

        “have complex navigational capabilities including methods to circumvent jamming, and some can be guided or steered.”

        At what point does a drone become a missile and a missile become a drone? Is it a specific set of requierments or just what ever Jimmy the journalist wants to say on the day?

        • Einskjaldi@lemmy.world
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          2 days ago

          It’s never been a real word. Anything including the original ww2 missiles could be called a drone. Missiles are rockets with a warhead, but then you have cruise missiles that are basically completely different in every way. It’s just a category.

        • boydster@sh.itjust.works
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          3 days ago

          I think missiles are ballistic, whereas drones are usually maneuverable

          Edit: which I guess means a drone that’s been shot down effectively becomes a missile (or a bunch of tiny missiles)

          • ltxrtquq@lemmy.ml
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            3 days ago

            I don’t know about hover, there are drones that are basically small planes. My definition would probably include landing and being reused.

            • ExLisper@lemmy.curiana.net
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              2 days ago

              Most of those drones definitely cannot land. Even some of the reusable drones are bad at landing and are basically caught in a net instead.

              https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugiFhRJzo5Y

              The difference is that missiles used jet propulsion and don’t use wings to generate lift. Drones typically used propellers and wings to fly. Now we also have drones with jet propulsion so the main difference is that drones use wings, missiles do not.