**U.S. Seeks Cost-Effective Solutions to Counter Iranian Shahed Drone Threat**
Amid increasing attacks by cheaply made Iranian Shahed drones, the U.S. military is exploring new, cost-effective methods to neutralize this growing threat. A recent drone attack in Kuwait tragically killed six U.S. service members, highlighting the urgent need for improved defense measures.
Currently, the military relies on anti-missile interceptors—each costing millions of dollars—to shoot down drones that can be produced for as little as $20,000 each. This significant cost imbalance strains U.S. weapons stockpiles.
Laser technology, while still relatively young and experimental, is emerging as a promising solution. With an operational cost of just a few dollars per shot, lasers could dramatically shift the economics of defending against large numbers of inexpensive drones, according to Wahid Nawabi, CEO of American defense contractor AeroVironment.
> “It changes the economics on how we can actually defeat and defend against these targets that are now being deployed and produced by tens of thousands,” Nawabi said.
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### Understanding the Threat: Iran’s Drones
Iran’s drones are not only draining U.S. weapons reserves but also pose a serious threat to strategic regions such as the Strait of Hormuz. Propaganda videos released by the Islamic Republic showcase their growing drone arsenal, which has been used to target Gulf states by attacking apartment buildings, airports, and oil refineries.
These drones are evolving to become faster, stronger, and capable of operating in swarms. Their most significant advantage, however, remains their low production cost. Often constructed from flimsy plastics, these drones are inexpensive to manufacture and easy to deploy.
To counter this threat, the U.S. and its Arab allies have turned to missile interceptors. Unfortunately, with each missile costing millions, these allies already faced shortages of interceptors just days into the conflict, CBS News reported.
In response to concerns over stockpile levels, former President Donald Trump stated on March 2 via Truth Social that the United States’ munitions stockpiles were at an all-time high.
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### Laser Technology: How It Works
President Trump also publicly expressed interest in laser technology on March 8, describing it as “incredible” and a much cheaper alternative to costly interceptor missiles like the Patriot system.
The U.S. has been developing laser weaponry for years. AeroVironment, a leading developer, sells a laser system called Locust, which has been deployed along the U.S.-Mexico border. The system comprises batteries as a power source and a cooling system, with the laser emitter mounted on top. Each unit is priced at roughly $8 million and can be either stationary or truck-mounted.
According to John Garrity, who manages the Locust program at AeroVironment, the system’s radar can detect enemy drones up to 7 miles away. Operators use a standard Xbox controller to lock onto targets, after which artificial intelligence takes over to track incoming drones.
> “That’s the beauty of a laser weapon system, that ability to track and take that overhead burden off of the operator,” Garrity explained.
Once a drone approaches within a few miles, the laser fires a beam traveling at the speed of light, effectively melting through the drone’s structure.
Locust lasers have been deployed in combat zones worldwide, including against Shahed drones, although exact locations remain undisclosed due to security reasons.
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### Industry Competition and Global Developments
While AeroVironment is a pioneer in laser weapons development, it faces strong competition from major defense contractors like Lockheed Martin and Raytheon. Internationally, other countries are actively advancing their own laser systems: Israel’s Iron Beam complements the Iron Dome defense network; Ukraine has deployed its own laser technology; and China recently unveiled new laser weapons during a large military parade.
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### Potential Adoption in the Iran Conflict
For AeroVironment’s laser systems to be deployed by Gulf states in the Iran conflict, Pentagon and State Department approval is required because of the sensitive nature of the technology.
> “There’s a chicken-and-egg thing in here. So far, we’ve only been authorized and allowed to provide this to the U.S. military,” Nawabi said. “So I cannot go at risk and build $1 billion worth of this stuff when I don’t have a contract in place that allows me to have a security or guarantee that somebody’s going to buy it.”
Even if authorization were granted tomorrow, it would take months for AeroVironment to scale up production sufficiently.
Mara Karlin, a former Pentagon official under both Democratic and Republican administrations, noted that the U.S. entered the conflict prepared for missile threats—not for drone attacks on soft targets.
> “There’s no one magic solution to taking down Iran’s drones,” Karlin said. “That’s kind of the history of warfare. You find multiple ways to counter different challenges, and then your enemy either catches up or they then get a counter to that counter.”
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### Criticism and Limitations of Laser Systems
While Karlin acknowledges lasers could become a valuable component in the U.S. arsenal, she points out that investment in the technology has been insufficient. She also stresses the importance of intelligence to support their effective deployment in the field.
Ongoing military tests reveal challenges regarding performance, accuracy, battery weight, energy consumption, and effectiveness under various weather conditions such as rain, humidity, sand, and fog.
Some critics question whether lasers can operate reliably in bad weather, but Garrity counters this by noting that drones rarely fly in rain, and the Locust system has performed well across weather events.
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### Safety and Operational Concerns
After Locust units were used in U.S. border operations, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) temporarily closed airspace twice over concerns that laser systems might interfere with commercial aircraft.
Nawabi clarified that the systems are designed with safety in mind.
> “If the laser shot a beam at a plane, it wouldn’t burn through, disable, and crash the flight. The system is designed to not make mistakes like that,” he said.
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### Conclusion
As the U.S. confronts the growing Iranian drone threat, laser weapons offer a promising, cost-effective alternative to expensive missile interceptors. While challenges remain in scaling production, securing approvals, and addressing operational limitations, laser technology is quickly maturing and may become a pivotal tool in modern warfare.
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*For further updates on defense technology and the Iran conflict, stay tuned.*
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/lasers-cost-effective-iran-drone-neutralization-60-minutes/