What's the best defense against Iran's drones?

[Deadstick]

Good, so were mine.


It has? Coulda fooled me. Considering the epic scope of this war, I think the effects so far have been about as good as expected, in fact, the other day, one expert reported that the impact has so far been better than expected. But like most things, if the war goes the way it appears to be (yesterday, Iran was reported to already be 86% contained), any effects will be transitory lasting just a few weeks or months, or to put it otherwise, if we could live through three years of Covid and two years of shutdown, we can survive anything, yet, did you have as much dread for shutting down the entire economy and country for two years?


What will be your bullshit when it doesn't? I seem to recall doom & gloom forecasts as well when Trump started the tariffs, none of which ever really materialized.

The Gulf States import 85% of their food so good luck to them with Hormuz under Iranian control.

 

[Lockback]

The Gulf States import 85% of their food so good luck to them with Hormuz under Iranian control.

I don't think it will be for long.

 

[Deadstick]

Some high ranking US officers gave a speech to some of their men the other day, they said Trump has been anointed by Jesus, Bonkers or what? more like Satan.

 

[Deadstick]

I don't think it will be for long.

Really, what will change?

 

[toobfreak]

Yep, that's what we have been discussing.....how it's a golden sledgehammer used on a fly.
It works....but too expensive and wrong tool for the job.

The lasers also have been employed against drones....these tend to be more cost effective per shot. The system? It would have been cheaper to just let the drone hit than to build more of them. And it still can be overwhelmed by a swarm.

If you send 100 drones against a single target....there is not a single system capable of stopping the attack. Even our multiple layered systems cant do it either.....
These layers will get a bunch but not all....

And that's what needs to be focused on....
100 long distance flying grenades....currently not much can be done against them.

Well, the military has the right idea: they are targeting who is launching the drones more than the individual drones themselves. But I had a crazy idea last night for a cheap and effective solution to stopping a drone: you shoot up a projectile in front of the incoming drone and it releases a cloud of long streamers which get caught up in and tangled within the drone's propeller bringing it to the ground.

 

[toobfreak]

The Gulf States import 85% of their food so good luck to them with Hormuz under Iranian control.

A). The Gulf states are the combat zone, so I was more concerned with any effect on US. Those people are all part of the problem in tolerating a neighbor like Iran in the first place. Are you actually criticizing the war because it might make things harder on the combat area?

B). A food shortage due to Iran only gives the other countries more incentive in the area to help more in containing and defeating Iran sooner.

C). 86% of Iran's offense is already contained, the Iranian Navy is being decimated, and our Navy has proposed guiding tankers through the Straight defended.

I expect the Straight to be pretty much open and back to normal probably within the next week or two.

 

[WorldWatcher]

Arleigh BUrck Class ships are deployed currently
The U.S. Navy is actively deploying high-energy laser weapons, specifically the 60-150 kW HELIOS system (High Energy Laser with Integrated Optical-dazzler and Surveillance), on Arleigh Burke-class destroyers like the USS Preble. These systems, capable of destroying drones and small boats at the speed of light for about $1 per shot, offer a cost-effective, "infinite magazine" defense against modern, low-cost threats.
Congress.gov +5
Key Details on Navy Laser Deployment:

• Active Systems: The HELIOS-150 (Mk 5 Mod 0) is the primary deployed system, designed to disrupt or destroy UAVs, small boats, and sensors.
• Operational Vessels: The USS Preble (DDG-88) has been equipped with HELIOS since 2022/2023. Other Arleigh Burke-class ships (DDG 81, 89, 122, 124, 127) have Aegis software integration to support potential future HELIOS installations.
• Capabilities & Performance: In 2024–2025 tests, HELIOS successfully disabled drones, demonstrating high precision. The laser can also act as an optical "dazzler" to blind enemy sensors.

Thank you for confirming what I said: "The USS Preble (DDG-88) has been equipped with HELIOS since 2022/2023. Other Arleigh Burke-class ships (DDG 81, 89, 122, 124, 127) have Aegis software integration to support potential future HELIOS installations."

There fleet in the Middle East does not have HELIOS, it's been installed on 1 ship. Others in the class have Aegis software integration for FUTURE acquisitions.

WW

 

[Kruska]

I think the same, there must be a far cheaper, large munitions interceptor for these drones, driven by A.I. China is sitting back and letting the world, especially the U.S; deplete their resources. Imagine if China took Taiwan? That would be a horrific result and an instant legacy determinent. Some of us warned that military tactics are changing with drones and A.I. If the goal was to just prop up defense companies for multi million dollar per missile contracts, China is just going to increase the costs for the U.S to counter their cheap made drones. In effect, bankrupting the West via cost of war. Again, some of us loudly warned of this, Iran was always going to do this (others will too). The West needs to wake the hell up or we are going to lose the planet to China

Nonsense - no one fires a US$20.000.000 missile or a US$ 4.000.000 missile against drones.

There were some individual incidents around 2023/24 (concerning highly sensitive targets) where Ukraine deployed Patriots against drones. (due to mistaken identity).

You are reading to much Western MEDIA bull - the "coming shortage" of e.g. Patriot, THAADS or Arrow missiles is in regards to Iranian Ballistic Missiles, cruise missiles, spec. Hyper-Cruise-missiles.

In e.g. Israel, drones are dealt with primarily via the Iron Dome (one missile around US$ 20,000 - the sales price to other nations is at around US$ 35-60,000 depending on the model. The rest is dealt with by diverse barrel-weapon systems. In some incidents Hellfire missiles and 30mm from Israels AH-64's were deployed.

Check out how many Patriots and alike, the present Waring parties have in their inventory - e.g. the USA is estimated to have around 2000 Patriots. The factor for certain destruction is around 3:1 - so if Iran fires 1000 Ballistic and cruise missiles let's say in a month - it's opponents will have used around 3000 Patriots and alike. According to open sources Iran is estimated to have around 5000 Ballistic/cruise and hyper-cruise missiles.

 

[Kruska]

Well, the military has the right idea: they are targeting who is launching the drones more than the individual drones themselves.

You don't need a "sophisticated" launch vehicle for an e.g. Shahed 136 - a simple pickup or 5t truck will do.

But I had a crazy idea last night for a cheap and effective solution to stopping a drone: you shoot up a projectile in front of the incoming drone and it releases a cloud of long streamers which get caught up in and tangled within the drone's propeller bringing it to the ground.

The drones you seem to envisage are those modified toy-drones!!! you think that the IRGC is sending those? from IRAN???

 

[The Duke]

 

[The Duke]

Nonsense - no one fires a US$20.000.000 missile or a US$ 4.000.000 missile against drones.

There were some individual incidents around 2023/24 (concerning highly sensitive targets) where Ukraine deployed Patriots against drones. (due to mistaken identity).

You are reading to much Western MEDIA bull - the "coming shortage" of e.g. Patriot, THAADS or Arrow missiles is in regards to Iranian Ballistic Missiles, cruise missiles, spec. Hyper-Cruise-missiles.

In e.g. Israel, drones are dealt with primarily via the Iron Dome (one missile around US$ 20,000 - the sales price to other nations is at around US$ 35-60,000 depending on the model. The rest is dealt with by diverse barrel-weapon systems. In some incidents Hellfire missiles and 30mm from Israels AH-64's were deployed.

Check out how many Patriots and alike, the present Waring parties have in their inventory - e.g. the USA is estimated to have around 2000 Patriots. The factor for certain destruction is around 3:1 - so if Iran fires 1000 Ballistic and cruise missiles let's say in a month - it's opponents will have used around 3000 Patriots and alike. According to open sources Iran is estimated to have around 5000 Ballistic/cruise and hyper-cruise missiles.

You better go reassess those estimates, Bubba.

 

[MisterBeale]

Some high ranking US officers gave a speech to some of their men the other day, they said Trump has been anointed by Jesus, Bonkers or what? more like Satan.

What of it?

In America we have free speech and freedom to speak one's conscious.

I've heard stuff that is just as bad from Israeli and Islamic leaders.
Not sure what fielding your double standards proves.

 

[Kruska]

You better go reassess those estimates, Bubba.

Tell me "you pathetic warmonger" - how many did Israel&USA destroy, and how many does Iran still have?

Maybe you like this news far more?

Iran Claims Nuclear Weapon — US, Israel & NATO Emergency Meeting​

 

[Kruska]

What of it?

In America we have free speech and freedom to speak one's conscious.

I've heard stuff that is just as bad from Israeli and Islamic leaders.
Not sure what fielding your double standards proves.

Only that US folks can be just as fanatic and religiously impaired as Muslims. - which isn't something new.

 

[The Duke]

Tell me "you pathetic warmonger" - how many did Israel&USA destroy, and how many does Iran still have?

Maybe you like this news far more?

Iran Claims Nuclear Weapon — US, Israel & NATO Emergency Meeting​

Madcow, GTFO outta here with that BS.


Enough to where they won't be doing much more again, ever.
Fleeing Iran or dying is what they're going to do.

 

[JohnDB]

The CIWIS or C-RAM.do not havexa very big magazine....

The HELIOS laser system costs 100 million per device but then only has the cost of electricity to operate. $30 per fire.

However....the laser is not perfect. It doesn't work in the rain or fog and needs line of sight to work. (Big drawbacks)

 

[Deadstick]

What of it?

In America we have free speech and freedom to speak one's conscious.

I've heard stuff that is just as bad from Israeli and Islamic leaders.
Not sure what fielding your double standards proves.

They are bloody crazy, anointed by Jesus is blalsphemous, then we have that nutter Hegseth with his Crusader tribute act, if people can't see these people for the mental cases they are then we have a real problem.

 

[Deadstick]

A). The Gulf states are the combat zone, so I was more concerned with any effect on US. Those people are all part of the problem in tolerating a neighbor like Iran in the first place. Are you actually criticizing the war because it might make things harder on the combat area?

B). A food shortage due to Iran only gives the other countries more incentive in the area to help more in containing and defeating Iran sooner.

C). 86% of Iran's offense is already contained, the Iranian Navy is being decimated, and our Navy has proposed guiding tankers through the Straight defended.

I expect the Straight to be pretty much open and back to normal probably within the next week or two.

Just giving you the facts, another fact is Hormuz is only 20miles wide at one point, good luck tying to escort anything through there.

 

[MisterBeale]

MIT Prof Ted Postol: U.S. Iran Missile War​

Streamed live 4 hours ago

 

[Mushroom]

The HELIOS laser system costs 100 million per device but then only has the cost of electricity to operate. $30 per fire.

And of course don't forget that the cost of the power source is extra. And the RADAR that will be required to make it an actual working system.

There is a reason why the test units are being mounted on ships. They have a hell of a lot of power output, so have the power available to run additions like this. And they already have a multi-million dollar RADAR installed in the AEGIS combat system.

You are talking really bad propaganda, it does not cost "$30 per fire". It does not fire bullets after all, in essence it fires electricity.

Now the PATRIOT system needs an EPP with two 150 kw diesel generators just to run the RADAR and command van. And that alone is around $50 million. And to provide enough power to then operate the laser, add in at an absolute minimum another $50 million for an EPP for each LASER unit. Want 4 of them on the ground, that's likely another $200 million just for the generators.

Oh, and don't forget the fuel. That's 200 gallons per unit per 6 hours of use. Those generators have to be up and running all the time, that is actually one of the biggest expenses of fielding any ADA system. They require large amounts of fuel, as in the crews are almost constantly refilling the fuel for the generators.

A Battery of C-RAM is two trailer mounted CIWS systems. Each of which needs two generators to operate.