The Indicator from Planet Money How Iran is wasting American resources
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Mar 19, 2026 
Jerry McGinn, director at CSIS who studies military supply chains, explains how Iran uses cheap drones to force expensive U.S. munitions to be used. The conversation covers Iran’s low-cost mass production, why the U.S. favors high-end weapons, strains on missile inventories, rising anti-drone defenses, and calls to prioritize quantity, diverse suppliers, and surge production funding.
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Cheap Iranian Drones Create Costly Asymmetry
- The US uses high-cost missiles while Iran floods the battlefield with cheap drones, creating an economic asymmetry.
- Iran's Shahad 136 drones cost roughly $4,000–$50,000 each versus US Tomahawks/Patriots that cost millions, forcing costly intercepts.
Description Of The Shahad 136 Drone
- The Shahad 136 is a small, go-kart-sized strike drone that uses GPS to fly into targets and explodes on impact.
- It buzzes like a moped, has wide wings and a rear propeller, and is manufactured in local Iranian factories with backup sites.
Exquisite Weapons Are Slow And Fragile Supply
- The US inventory of exquisite munitions is slow to rebuild because these weapons are complex and produced at low volume.
- Jerry McGinn notes Tomahawks and Patriots are near-handmade, taking years to scale and creating supply vulnerability.