Iran's Shahed-136 Drone Challenges Advanced Air Defenses with Cost-Effective Swarm Attacks

Iran's Shahed-136 drone is a low-cost, suicide drone with a range of 2,000-2,500 km and a 30-50 kg warhead, used by Iran and supplied to allies like Russia and Hezbollah. Its affordability enables swarm attacks that challenge advanced air defenses in conflicts across Ukraine, the Gulf, and Israel. Despite modest speed and basic technology, its mass deployment forces costly interceptions by US and allied forces, raising concerns over rapid depletion of defense stockpiles and evolving drone capabilities.