NATO arsenals have long been composed of high-tech, sophisticated missiles worth several million dollars each, which land forces, navies and warplanes have been firing against unmanned aerial vehicles worth just tens of thousands of dollars. Now, the main goal is to significantly reduce the so-called cost per kill, meaning how much money has been spent to neutralize a threat.
Most recently, the French air force used costly missiles against cheap Iranian drones sent toward Gulf countries.
French legacy arms companies such as MBDA, as well as startups including Alta Ares and Harmattan AI, are working on lower-cost, mass-producible weapons to counter such threats.
“Our defensive weapons are not produced in sufficient quantities to stop these waves of saturation,” the French general said. He added that he was working to accelerate the French armed forces’ use of drones.
Defense companies “have to be hungry and adaptable in a fast-paced world, where our competitors adapt quickly,” Mandon told the audience.