Economist Podcasts Blood from a drone: Iran’s deadly arsenal
105 snips
Mar 12, 2026 
Shashank Joshi, defence editor and military analyst, explains Iran’s reliance on Shahed-type drones and how they blur the line between missiles and UAVs. He discusses why Tehran uses mass drone strikes, the tactics for defending against them, and what lessons Ukraine’s battlefield experience offers the Gulf.
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Cost And Launch Flexibility Drive Drone Usage
- Shahed-type drones are used frequently because they are far cheaper and easier to launch than ballistic missiles.
- Joshi estimates Russian production costs around $55,000 each and explains they can be truck-launched and fly low to evade traditional radars.
Use Layered Cheap Defenses Not Just High-End Interceptors
- Defend against Shahed drones with layered, cost-effective measures rather than relying on expensive interceptors.
- Joshi suggests air-to-air missiles, laser-guided rocket pods, repurposed anti-aircraft guns and emerging lasers as cheaper alternatives to Patriots or THAAD.
Ukraine's FPV Drone Defenses Proved Highly Effective
- Ukraine developed effective countermeasures using FPV interceptor drones that ram or detonate near incoming Shaheds.
- Joshi reports Ukraine destroyed many Shaheds in January, with about 70% taken out by FPV interceptors and a few skilled teams accounting for most kills.