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

[Kruska]

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

Streamed live 4 hours ago

Yes - the Iranian underground launch-sites are the problem, not those recognizable mobile launchers. Iran had years (decades) to prepare against those known IDF&US take-out tactics. (It is very likely that they got this "deploying" strategy from China - that also uses this approach).

BTW: this was big intel issue before/during the Gulf-war - were Iraqi "companies" had ordered huge quantities of clay roof-tiles in sand color to cover installations that simulated small factory compounds and farms. (clay ceramics also shield efficiently against thermal, ground, aerial and space tracking).

The direct info I got is that, the Arabs are more furious and worried about the US shift of providing intercept assets to Israel, rather then the Arab states being aggravated about Iran's strikes.

I watch this Daniel David podcast too, at times.

 

[Invisibleflash]

During WW2 the US navy had effective anti-aircraft guns with proximity fused shells.

So why are we shooting $20,000,000 missiles at $20,000 drones?

Is there a computer/AI controlled anti-aircraft gun system that might be better?

U.S. 40mm Bofors Anti-Aircraft (WWII) - Inert-Ord.Net

 

[toobfreak]

Just giving you the facts,

You wouldn't know a fact if it hit you in the face.

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

Try 13 miles. And within that, only a 2 mile wide corridor each for ingress and egress by ships, and Iran has since abrogated that.

 

[MisterBeale]

Iran has since abrogated that

Maritime Tracking Animation Shows Disruption in Strait of Hormuz​

Maritime Tracking Animation Shows Disruption in Strait of Hormuz

Movement of ships through the Strait of Hormuz has been curtailed significantly following strikes in the region on February 28, with Iranian officials stating on Tuesday that the strait was closed.An ...

sg.news.yahoo.com

Maritime Tracking Animation Reveals Disruption in Strait of Hormuz Amid Middle East War​

Mar 3, 2026
"Maritime Tracking Animation Shows Disruption in Strait of Hormuz As The Middle-East War Escalated"

 

[EdwinAMartin]

U.S. will send anti-drone system to Mideast after successful use in Ukraine, officials say

An American anti-drone system proven to work against Russian drones in Ukraine will soon be sent to the Middle East to bolster U.S. defenses against Iranian drones, two U.S. officials told The Associated Press on Friday.

www.pbs.org

LONDON (AP) — An American anti-drone system proven to work against Russian drones in Ukraine will soon be sent to the Middle East to bolster U.S. defenses against Iranian drones, two U.S. officials told The Associated Press on Friday.

While the U.S. has used Patriot and THAAD missile systems to take down Iranian missiles successfully, there are limited effective anti-drone defenses now in the Middle East, according to a U.S. defense official, one of two officials who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military matters.

Simple solution, simple use drones to take out drones. Works well in Ukraine. The new laser systems are of course a much faster and more effective system, but require a lot of power.

The system that is being sent, known as Merops, flies drones against drones. It is small enough to fit in the back of a midsize pickup truck, can identify drones and close in on them, using artificial intelligence to navigate when satellite and electronic communications are jammed.

Drones are hard to pinpoint on radar systems calibrated for spotting high-speed missiles and can be mistaken for birds or planes. The Merops system is designed to spot them and take them down. Crucially, the system also is cheaper than firing a missile that costs hundreds of thousands of dollars at a drone that costs less than $50,000.

 

[toobfreak]

Simple solution, simple use drones to take out drones. Works well in Ukraine. The new laser systems are of course a much faster and more effective system, but require a lot of power.

What I don't understand is that we basically developed and perfected the drone, we have years of experience studying the conflict in Ukraine where drones are a big factor, we spend billions studying and developing the latest weapons, and we spend decades studying the Iranian military and combat system right down to hacking into their street traffic cameras, so how it it not possible, wee were not expecting and prepared for this simple, low-tech attack?

And the only conclusion I can come too is that our military was just too busy trying to spend all of its ever-blooming budget on bigger and neater and trickier gadgets they could all brag about to each other and show off, that they overlooked a very obvious, gaping, and pervading and emerging new tool in the face of common guerrilla warfare.

I sure hope Trump and Hegseth have not walked face-first into a giant quagmire.

 

[Stryder50]

During WW2 the US navy had effective anti-aircraft guns with proximity fused shells.

So why are we shooting $20,000,000 missiles at $20,000 drones?

Is there a computer/AI controlled anti-aircraft gun system that might be better?

U.S. 40mm Bofors Anti-Aircraft (WWII) - Inert-Ord.Net

This and more variations of ....
The Phalanx CIWS (SEE-wiz) is an automated gun-based close-in weapon system to defend military watercraft automatically against incoming threats such as aircraft, missiles, and small boats. It was designed and manufactured by the General Dynamics Corporation, Pomona Division,later a part of Raytheon. Consisting of a radar-guided 20 mm (0.8 in) Vulcan cannon mounted on a swiveling base, the Phalanx has been used by the United States Navy and the naval forces of 15 other countries. The U.S. Navy deploys it on every class of surface combat ship, except the Zumwalt-class destroyer and San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock. Other users include the British Royal Navy, the Royal Australian Navy, the Royal New Zealand Navy, the Royal Canadian Navy, and the U.S. Coast Guard.

A land variant, the LPWS (Land Phalanx Weapon System), part of the Counter Rocket, Artillery, and Mortar (C-RAM) system, was developed. It was deployed to counter rocket, artillery and mortar attacks during the 2021 US withdrawal from Afghanistan. The U.S. Navy also fields the SeaRAM system, which pairs the RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile with sensors based on the Phalanx.
...

Phalanx CIWS - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[shockedcanadian]

Ome fact of war.is that it pushes technology to improve quickly. The list of technological advances that benefited consumers in the near future.is endless. I imagine both the development of advanced drones and the countering of these drones will produce such technologies.

 

[EdwinAMartin]

What I don't understand is that we basically developed and perfected the drone, we have years of experience studying the conflict in Ukraine where drones are a big factor, we spend billions studying and developing the latest weapons, and we spend decades studying the Iranian military and combat system right down to hacking into their street traffic cameras, so how it it not possible, wee were not expecting and prepared for this simple, low-tech attack?

And the only conclusion I can come too is that our military was just too busy trying to spend all of its ever-blooming budget on bigger and neater and trickier gadgets they could all brag about to each other and show off, that they overlooked a very obvious, gaping, and pervading and emerging new tool in the face of common guerrilla warfare.

I sure hope Trump and Hegseth have not walked face-first into a giant quagmire.

UKraine is the first conflict where they were used in numbers, and we have been developing counter-systems; one is being shipped as we speak, and another has been installed on a ship and ready for testing. Three others are out there; we don't know what because they're still secret.

Our military budget is a little over 3% of GDP. Not sure that is 'huge'. Russia spends over 7% as an example. Red China has doubled its spending. It's actually near the post-Cold War low. In WW II it was 41% by comparison, and nobody starved.

 

[CrusaderFrank]

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

Stop bombing Iranian citizens and go home.

It’s still not too late for Trump to declare victory and bring everyone home

Well, after unconditional surrender, we get your oil and I’ll pick your leader, it’s too late

 

[CrusaderFrank]

UKraine is the first conflict where they were used in numbers, and we have been developing counter-systems; one is being shipped as we speak, and another has been installed on a ship and ready for testing. Three others are out there; we don't know what because they're still secret.

Our military budget is a little over 3% of GDP. Not sure that is 'huge'. Russia spends over 7% as an example. Red China has doubled its spending. It's actually near the post-Cold War low. In WW II it was 41% by comparison, and nobody starved.

We spend $1 Trillion on God knows what, Irans military budget is $23 Billion

 

[EdwinAMartin]

We spend $1 Trillion on God knows what, Irans military budget is $23 Billion

Iran also gets a lot of free stuff, and they' are only a small part of the world. We handle global threats. We would be toast with such a budget. They're losing badly, so we probably shouldn't follow their example. Without our spending, piracy alone would paralyze international shipping. That would cost us a lot more than a trillion.

 

[CrusaderFrank]

Bombing those who.launch such things seems to be working out OK.

Kill the archer....not his flying arrows seems to be an effective policy.

It’s the lowest end on their arsenal! We’re depleting our highest end systems on their lowest tier missiles and paintings of planes on runways. Sure, many civilians in Tehran are dead, but the trend is not favorable for us

Their missiles are now starting to damage hardened Israeli air bases

 

[CrusaderFrank]

And so? Iran also gets a lot of free stuff, and they' are only a small part of the world. We handle global threats. We would be toast with such a budget. They're losing badly, so we probably shouldn't follow their example.

We’re the cause of most of the problems. We’re now causing the start of a global recession

All because Bibi has Trump by the balls

 

[Deadstick]

We’re the cause of most of the problems. We’re now causing the start of a global recession

All because Bibi has Trump by the balls

Maybe the unhinged War pigs will wake up when that economic shit hits the fan, it has already started here, some people will lose their homes and jobs.

 

[CrusaderFrank]

Maybe the unhinged War pigs will wake up when that economic shit hits the fan, it has already started here, some people will lose their homes and jobs.

They need to be removed from office

Regime change necessary