Steve aka mdlbear16h ago
Nonilex

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

Mar 27 at 2:14pmWeb
Show threadNonilex21h ago

The deployment of the vessels -- which can be used for surveillance or kamikaze strikes -- has not been previously reported. It comes despite a series of setbacks in the US Navy’s ​years‑long effort to field a fleet #of uncrewed surface vessels, Reuters reported last year →

Exclusive: The US #Navy is building a drone fleet to take on China. It's not going well.

#TrumpsWar #US #Iran #war #Trump #RegimeChange #RulesOfWar #law #Congress #WarPowers #geopolitics #MiddleEast
https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/us-navy-is-building-drone-fleet-take-china-its-not-going-well-2025-08-20/

Show threadTheriac21h ago
@Nonilex
so we're at the "wonder weapon" stage already?
Show threadJamesWNeal21h ago
@Nonilex well at least we know they won't be crashing into bus stops.
Show threadNonilex20h ago

@JamesWNeal

I wouldn’t count on it

Show threadSteve Hersey21h 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 Kuo20h 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 threadSteve Hersey20h ago

@isaackuo @Nonilex
All true.

I am forcefully reminded of the US Navy experience prior to Pearl Harbor, where ships got repainted frequently for spit-and-polish without removing the previous layers. Max speed declined dramatically from the extra weight.

Show threadJason Lefkowitz18h ago
@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
Show threadIsaac Ji Kuo17h 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 ...

Show thread60sRefugee15h ago
@n1xnx @Nonilex Early 1970s, suddenly gasoline isn't cheap anymore and US automakers are losing sales to imports of German and Japanese economy cars. Their emulation of the concept: the Ford Pinto.
Show threadK_L_Cooper19h ago
@Nonilex
Next they'll get shot up by Adm. Kegsbreath mistaking them for Venezuelan fishing punts⁉️