RT by @mikenov: RT by @mikenov: 🇺🇸 The Army just put out a call for a missile that costs less than $150,000 to shoot down drones that cost $35,000. The math is still bad, but it’s an upgrade. A Patriot interceptor runs about $4 million. This new missile, called NGCM, is built to bolt onto the existing Coyote launcher and hit drones flying up to 8km high, from 25km away, all in under five seconds from fire command. Bids are due August 20. Prototypes in the field by the end of 2027. 5,000 missiles ordered if it works. Lasers are the long-term fix everyone actually wants; pennies per shot, no stockpile to run out of. But they don’t work great in bad weather. So for now, it’s a race to build a

🇺🇸 The Army just put out a call for a missile that costs less than $150,000 to shoot down drones that cost $35,000.

The math is still bad, but it’s an upgrade. A Patriot interceptor runs about $4 million.

This new missile, called NGCM, is built to bolt onto the existing Coyote launcher and hit drones flying up to 8km high, from 25km away, all in under five seconds from fire command.

Bids are due August 20. Prototypes in the field by the end of 2027. 5,000 missiles ordered if it works.

Lasers are the long-term fix everyone actually wants; pennies per shot, no stockpile to run out of. But they don’t work great in bad weather.

So for now, it’s a race to build a missile just cheap enough to make the trade worth it.

Source: Defense News / Writer: Oliver

— @MarioNawfal Aug 4, 2026