美国陆军在2026年伊朗冲突中向中东部署约10,000架拦截无人机，以降低使用高成本导弹防御系统的需求。这些AI驱动的Merops拦截无人机在2月28日美以军事行动开始后5天内完成部署。该系统最初由Eric Schmidt支持的Project Eagle开发，并在2024年被送往乌克兰进行实战测试。部署此类战场验证技术旨在应对伊朗大量无人机袭击，同时减少传统防空系统的成本压力。
成本差异是该策略的核心。Merops无人机单价约14,000至15,000美元，大规模采购可能将价格降至3,000至5,000美元。相比之下，伊朗使用的Shahed无人机成本至少20,000美元，而美国传统防空系统如Patriot和THAAD拦截导弹单枚价格可能超过400万美元。因此，用低成本无人机拦截敌方无人机可显著改变作战成本结构，使每次成功拦截都对伊朗造成更高经济损失。
美国还部署了多种反无人机系统以扩大防御能力，包括RTX公司的Coyote拦截无人机以及Bumblebee爆炸型四旋翼无人机。Bumblebee由Perennial Autonomy开发，最初在乌克兰测试用于攻击移动目标，并通过2026年1月价值520万美元的小型合同采购。该合同由美国国防部新成立的Joint Interagency Task Force 401执行，旨在快速开发并部署反无人机系统，以应对现代战争中无人机数量迅速增长的威胁。
In the 2026 conflict with Iran, the US Army deployed about 10,000 interceptor drones to the Middle East to reduce reliance on high-cost missile defense systems. The AI-enabled Merops interceptor drones were delivered within five days of the start of the US-Israeli military operation on February 28. The system was developed by Project Eagle, a defense venture backed by former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, and had previously been sent to Ukraine in 2024 for battlefield testing. Deploying this combat-tested technology aims to counter large-scale Iranian drone attacks while reducing the cost burden of traditional air defense systems.
Cost differences are central to the strategy. Each Merops drone costs about $14,000 to $15,000, and larger orders could reduce the price to roughly $3,000 to $5,000. By comparison, Iran’s Shahed drones cost at least $20,000 each, while interceptors for US air defense systems such as Patriot and THAAD can cost more than $4 million per missile. Using relatively inexpensive drones to intercept enemy drones could significantly shift the cost dynamics of air defense, meaning each successful interception imposes a higher financial loss on Iran.
The US has also deployed multiple counter-drone systems to expand its defensive capability, including RTX’s Coyote interceptor drones and Bumblebee explosive quadcopters. The Bumblebee system, produced by Perennial Autonomy, was initially tested in Ukraine as a strike drone against moving targets and was procured through a $5.2 million contract in January 2026. The purchase was executed by the Pentagon’s Joint Interagency Task Force 401, which was created to rapidly develop and deploy counter-unmanned aircraft technologies as drone warfare expands.