From Ukraine to the Middle East
That distinction has become increasingly important as drones are launched not individually but in large salvos intended partly to overwhelm defences.
The cost of shooting down drones
$5,000: Guardian interceptor developed by Powerus
$5,000: Starting cost of Neros’ Bandit interceptor
$126,500: Estimated cost of Raytheon’s Coyote interceptor
$2 million: Expected cost of Lockheed Martin’s planned lower-cost interceptor
~$4 million: Approximate cost of a PAC-3 interceptor
3,000 a month: Current Powerus-affiliated interceptor production
15,000 a month: Powerus global production target by mid-2027
THE NEW EQUATION: Use cheaper weapons against mass-produced drones — and save sophisticated interceptors for ballistic missiles and other high-end threats.
The mathematics of drone warfare
From 3,000 to 15,000 a month
Defence giants are changing too
A lesson likely to outlast the war
A Senior Associate Editor with more than 30 years in the media, Stephen N.R. curates, edits and publishes impactful stories for Gulf News — both in print and online — focusing on Middle East politics, student issues and explainers on global topics.
Stephen has spent most of his career in journalism, working behind the scenes — shaping headlines, editing copy and putting together newspaper pages with precision.
For the past many years, he has brought that same dedication to the Gulf News digital team, where he curates stories, crafts explainers and helps keep both the web and print editions sharp and engaging.