The US is working on cheaper munitions. Should China follow its lead?
China’s massive industrial chain and ability to control production costs are clear advantages over the US, article says
The article said that in 2023, when the Houthis mounted attacks costing less than US$2,000 per shot, the US launched a large number of SM-2/6 missiles, each costing more than US$2.5 million, with the total American outlay rising to a “highly disproportionate” US$1 billion.
In response, the US was working on various cheaper long-range munitions – an idea that the People’s Liberation Army could also pursue.
“The United States urgently needs long-range munitions suitable for large-scale consumption, in a high-low mix to reduce the cost of war,” it said.
“The PLA could also learn from the US concept of low-cost missiles. Low-cost munitions are essential for the PLA to wage large-scale attrition warfare against powerful adversaries. Even if the PLA needs to quickly defeat weaker opponents, it still needs a large quantity of low-cost munitions.”