shahed

Russia halved the cost of its reactive “Shaheds” — The Economist

Russia has found a way to make its jet drones cheaper and potentially more mass-produced.

According to The Economist, Russia obtained industrial equipment for 3D printing parts for jet engine turbines. In the view of the outlet’s air-defense source, this could have cut the cost of a jet UAV by roughly half—down to $50–70 thousand.

⚠️ And this matters not only because of the price itself.

Jet drones are significantly faster than the classic Shahed/Geran, meaning the time for their detection and interception is reduced.

At the same time, The Economist estimates Russian production of ballistic missiles at about 100 units per month.

That means Russia is working simultaneously on scaling up production, lowering costs, and increasing the strike systems’ speed.

💡 This is no longer just a technological race. It’s an economic war of attrition, where it matters not only how much the weapon costs, but also how much it costs to intercept it.

#ukraine #shahed #russia #DefenseNews #Technology