Nonilex23h ago

What could possibly go wrong?

Exclusive: #US deploys uncrewed #DroneBoats in conflict with #Iran

The US has deployed ​uncrewed #drone speedboats for patrols as part of its operations against Iran, the #Pentagon said, ‌the first time Washington has confirmed using such vessels in an active conflict.

#TrumpsWar #war #Trump #RegimeChange #RulesOfWar #law #Congress #WarPowers #geopolitics #MiddleEast #inflation #economy #oil #energy #EnergyCrisis
https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/us-deploys-uncrewed-drone-boats-conflict-with-iran-2026-03-26/?utm_source=braze&utm_medium=notifications&utm_campaign=2025_engagement

Show threadSteve Hersey23h ago

@Nonilex
Wrong question. The right question is, "How could this possibly work?"

Ukraine's defense industry is wizard at this. US defense contractors? Excuse me while I mop up the coffee I spit all over my screen laughing. They'll be a decade late and ten million dollars a pop.

Show threadIsaac Ji Kuo22h ago

@n1xnx @Nonilex US Defense industry is optimized for maximizing profits, not cost effectiveness. Ukraine is good at this not because of inherent quality, but because they have spent money and effort on cost effectiveness.

Same thing with Iran and their Shahed drones.

You get what you pay for. The US defense industry is not good at producing cost effective weapon systems because any startup trying to pitch this won't get the sort of investor money needed for success.

Show threadJason Lefkowitz
@isaackuo @n1xnx @Nonilex It also helps that Ukraine is fighting an existential conflict, a thing the United States has not faced in a very long time. The prospect of total defeat really cuts through the bullshit
Mar 27 at 5:32pmWeb
Show threadIsaac Ji Kuo19h ago

@jalefkowit @n1xnx @Nonilex The prospect of total defeat sure CAN help cut through the bullshit, but it still depends on the system in place and how it prioritizes things.

I mean, look at the stuff Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan were wasting precious resources on, even when everything was disastrously going down the tubes.

The system needs to be more flexible and adaptable to reality than those two examples, at least.

I don't know if the system in the current USA clears that hurdle ...