AviationBanter - View Single Post

Andrew Swallow

wrote:
[snip]

Even if SAMs could deal with these small UAVs, the problem would be
that the enemy could then just send over hordes of very cheap UAVs
(without the expensive sensor kit) to soak up the SAMs - a very
cost-effective way of degrading your enemy's capabilities. Unless and
until a small and cheap "anti-UAV" homing missile can be developed, I
think appropriate guns (and ammo) provide the best answer.

NATOs weapons are expensive because:
a. they are made in tiny quantities.
b. are built to work at the north pole, in a snow storm during a nuclear
war.

If you relax the specifications a little something much cheaper can be
made. For instance in the middle east the sensor kit for a UAV could be
a mobile phone with built in camera. Reprogram the phone to take a
picture every minute and radio it back. Such a UAV and camera could be
mass produced for less than £1,000.

Longer range at night would require a civilian infra-red surveillance
camera and a bigger plane but still very low cost.

Andrew Swallow