Sources:
https://www.19fortyfive.com/2025/03/the-f-47-fighter-cost-problem-no-one-wants-to-touch/
https://defencesecurityasia.com/en/iran-shahed-drones-gulf-patriot-air-defence-cost-crisis/ (assuming 2 missiles to each drone and the lowest estimate of drone costs)
You see, you’re approaching this from all the wrong angle. Big misconception.
You’re looking at this as if the US is trying to maximize its military capability, but that’s a mistaken assumption. Actually, the US is trying to maximize the amount of public funds funneled into defense contractors. And for that purpose, this is a very viable solution.
I think we’ve just found out you can’t beat poor countries using modern tactics and equipment with a military that was built to cannibalise your country’s wealth. You might do some damage, but you just end up another poor country.
But think of all the shareholder value created along the way
TBH the US learned that over 50 years ago with the Vietnam war. I’m pretty sure herodotus wrote about it like 2500 years ago too.
I mean yeah, the Vietnam war could have been permanent Lunar base money. The money spent on the last few wars could have made America into a place nobody would ever leave willingly, but instead it’s looking like an empire’s last gasp.
The chuds watching 300 thinking their side is Sparta and not Persia…
I mean really, Sparta was xenophobic, massively right wing, and all talk - they were nowhere near as badass as their histories make them out to be. Compared to how tolerant and multicultural the Achaemenid Empire was at the time, chuds might be right.
War mostly makes you poor nowadays unless you’re stealing oil