The numbers I've seen are that the interceptor missiles cost anywhere from $45K to $70K apiece (seen varying numbers). The rockets being fired are about $1K apiece, and they have thousands.
The fundamental idea of this Iron Dome system and others like it is flawed - especially in economic terms. Spend $45K-$70K to shoot down every $1K rocket? That can't last long before you're utterly broke. This is economic FAIL. An alternative solution is required.
This is a classic example of asymmetric warfare.
The answer is full blown pre-emptive war. But the Dome is good to have during the interim period.
The Israelis were evaluating the Skyguard laser a few years back. Each blast supposedly cost $1K, pretty competitive with Iron Dome. Any idea how those trials went?
“The fundamental idea of this Iron Dome system and others like it is flawed - especially in economic terms. Spend $45K-$70K to shoot down every $1K rocket? That can’t last long before you’re utterly broke. This is economic FAIL. An alternative solution is required.”
Funerals aren’t cheap either.
But a few things to consider:
1) Most of the missiles shot from Gaza are not intercepted, but are left to land in remote areas. You don’t get much of a guidance system in a $1,000 missile either.
2) $50k may sound like a lot, but Israel has a GNP of $250B. Just 1% of that GNP will build them 50,000 missiles. We now spend 10% of our GNP on Social Security and Medicare, and another 5% on other welfare - likely Israel is doing the same. Finding 1% of their GNP to build up what would be a near-infinite supply of interceptor missiles is not out of reach for them, and is much, much, less than they currently spend on other areas of their military.
3) While these missiles may cost $1,000 (something that I doubt by the way, at least in regard to the ones that can reach the big cities), they terrorists also have to pay for shipping and assembly. Try pulling that off sometime, when your neighbor has drones working 24/7 overhead. It is doable, but it’s not as quite simple as ordering from Amazon. In other words, there are some really big costs, beyond the sticker price of the missiles.
4) Time is on Israel’s side. They are getting to combat-test their systems and will, of course, be stepping up production, big-time.
5) ...and don’t worry, Israel has plenty more options, but now has some breathing time to consider which is best.
If a missle destroys a $250,000 home, it is worth it.
That may be true, but how much would spend to protect our citizens when thousands of Mllsiles were reining down?