Re: Interesting - Ukraine Missiles Use Open Source, Russians Use Pi-4s

On 7/19/26 18:55, Computer Nerd Kev wrote:
> rbowman <[email protected]> wrote:
>> On Sat, 18 Jul 2026 19:38:31 -0400, c186282 wrote:
>>>     Meanwhile, everything made in USA costs a million dollars per unit
>>>     and take forever to build.
>>
>> I forget who said 'Generals do not end wars; accountants do.'  Estimates
>> vary but the Tamir missile used by Iron Dome costs around $50K. When you
>> use them to blow up a $5K DJI drone the costs add up fast. That's chicken
>> feed compared to the cost of a Tomahawk.
> 
> The USA and Israel are getting deep into laser weapons now for that
> reason, but I'm just waiting for drones/missiles to arrive sporting
> mirrors designed to reflect those beams back and set fire to things
> on the ground instead.

   Um ... that would NOT be so difficult/expensive
   to do :-)

   Even a sub-micron of gold on the missile body
   would reflect most laser attacks. Putting a
   'lens' pattern, retroflectors, in that would
   kinda help do what you said.

   Alas, "phasors", particle-beam weapons, have
   proven impractical - at least within an
   atmosphere.

   This leaves lasers and, to an extent, masers.

   But over-heating a big missile in flight with
   a laser ... NOT as easy as it sounds. Lasers
   may be better for blasting little DRONES. This
   WILL be useful, but not the WHOLE modern picture.

   Governments, esp the USA, still have this fixation
   on giant warships/bombers and such. Lots of troops
   to salute the high officers, very impressive. Alas
   these are now huge slow TARGETS. Massive money for
   something that will be blown up almost instantly.

   The MODERN paradigm - pioneered by Ukraine - is
   the "nest of hornets" picture.

   Sometimes attributed to Stalin - "Quantity has
   a quality all of its own". Ukraine has proven
   that. Dirt-cheap drones, but LOTS of them, get
   through 20th-century defenses very well.