Missile interception mechanics

[MarcAFK]

IMHO Some guy in a biplane with a shotgun would be cheaper and possibly just as effective!

[iceball3]

I'd imagine firing CIWS up in populated airspace might be a tad very dangerous for those living below.
As it stands, yeah, an anti-drone-drone to move in on an engage on invading drones seems to be the best bet at taking one out, especially when firing lower caliber. Less potential for collateral damage, and if you're still unable to take it out, you can still try to ram it.

[Sheb]

I'd imagine firing CIWS up in populated airspace might be a tad very dangerous for those living below.
As it stands, yeah, an anti-drone-drone to move in on an engage on invading drones seems to be the best bet at taking one out, especially when firing lower caliber. Less potential for collateral damage, and if you're still unable to take it out, you can still try to ram it.

The Patriot missile fired ended up spraying a kibbutzim with debris, so hardly safe either.

I guess for those situation a laser defense would be ideal: accurate, cheap marginal cost per shot, and no risk of your projectile falling down.

Does anyone knows if anyone tried to attack Israel with commercal drones carrying explosives?

[MarcAFK]

They might do it eventually, but to be honest it's always been rather easy and cheap to just make an unguided rocket. Launch enough and you get an effective terror weapon.

[DaMachinator]

What about conventional artillery? Why use expensive (sort of) rockets?

[mikew]

What about conventional artillery? Why use expensive (sort of) rockets?

To shoot down the drone?  Short ranged and immobile, so unlikely to be available against a small drone like that.  Also, the radar directing and fuzing systems may not work with a small drone as a target.

Mike

[DaMachinator]

To shoot down the drone?  Short ranged and immobile, so unlikely to be available against a small drone like that.  Also, the radar directing and fuzing systems may not work with a small drone as a target.

Mike

No, that was in reply to these:

Does anyone knows if anyone tried to attack Israel with commercal drones carrying explosives?

They might do it eventually, but to be honest it's always been rather easy and cheap to just make an unguided rocket. Launch enough and you get an effective terror weapon.

Also, I would have said AA guns and not artillery had I meant shooting down a drone.

[bean (OP)]

What about conventional artillery? Why use expensive (sort of) rockets?

Because the alternative to a rocket is not a conventional artillery shell.  It's a conventional artillery shell and the weapon it's fired from.  The cost advantages of tube artillery come out over a lot of shells.  When you consider the lifespan of an artillery tube against the IDF, the rocket is the definite winner.

[DaMachinator]

Because the alternative to a rocket is not a conventional artillery shell.  It's a conventional artillery shell and the weapon it's fired from.  The cost advantages of tube artillery come out over a lot of shells.  When you consider the lifespan of an artillery tube against the IDF, the rocket is the definite winner.

Rockets still require a launch platform. For any degree of accuracy with an unguided rocket, it needs to be adjustable in launch direction and launch angle. The bigger the rocket, the more you need to do this safely.

[bean (OP)]

Rockets still require a launch platform. For any degree of accuracy with an unguided rocket, it needs to be adjustable in launch direction and launch angle. The bigger the rocket, the more you need to do this safely.

Yes, but for the sort of rockets in question, the launch platform is cheap compared to the rocket.  And 'accuracy' doesn't seem to be high on the list of criteria for the sort of people who shoot rockets at Israel, to the point that the Israeli Iron Dome system checks to make sure that the rockets are coming down somewhere inhabited before it starts shooting.

[QuakeIV]

Yeah, they seem to be firing the rockets fairly willy nilly aside from a general emphasis on 'in the direction of israel'.

[Sheb]

They do use some tube artillery in the form of mortar (that can be easily hidden and moved), but if you want range in the kilometers, it's easier with crude rockets. Launch ramp is as easy as a PVC tube sunk in the sand.

I'm sure they'd love more accuracy, but it's not something they can afford.