Iran and Russia's ability to produce vast amounts of cheap weapons to overwhelm air defense systems is a growing concern. New technologies are underway to counter this and address high costs.
I feel that these new technologies present a real challenge to the weapon development models of western (particularly American) defense contractors who -- besides low tech items like bullets or shells -- are best at creating a relatively small number of bespoke expensive systems. This made alot of sense when sensors were expensive and each system required custom circuitry but the future requires high volume low cost hardware production along with fast silicon valley style software development for those systems (something that looks more like the car manufacturing industry or gaming console industry). This is the opposite of their current economic model.
Also, it will require the military to shift towards taking ownership of the software created by companies to create common platforms so everything doesn't have to be built from scratch.
Once again we're in an arms race. Offensive systems pull ahead as we learn to defeat the defensive systems. Defensive systems pull ahead as they learn to defeat the offensive systems. And then the cycle continues. Each round presents new challenges that are then dealt with by the opposite side.
I feel that these new technologies present a real challenge to the weapon development models of western (particularly American) defense contractors who -- besides low tech items like bullets or shells -- are best at creating a relatively small number of bespoke expensive systems. This made alot of sense when sensors were expensive and each system required custom circuitry but the future requires high volume low cost hardware production along with fast silicon valley style software development for those systems (something that looks more like the car manufacturing industry or gaming console industry). This is the opposite of their current economic model.
Also, it will require the military to shift towards taking ownership of the software created by companies to create common platforms so everything doesn't have to be built from scratch.
Once again we're in an arms race. Offensive systems pull ahead as we learn to defeat the defensive systems. Defensive systems pull ahead as they learn to defeat the offensive systems. And then the cycle continues. Each round presents new challenges that are then dealt with by the opposite side.