Inexpensive Iranian Weapons Prove Capable of Downing Advanced Jets

A single 65 million won missile shot down a 150 billion won fighter jet. As the Iranian military downed a US F-15E fighter jet with a shoulder-fired surface-to-air missile, this conflict has once again demonstrated that even expensive, advanced weapons can be brought down by cheaper ones. Iran is showing in this war that even without cutting-edge or costly weaponry, it can be sufficiently threatening using relatively inexpensive and effective arms like drones, mines, and portable missiles.

The downed F-15E fighter jet is a versatile multirole strike fighter capable of both air-to-air combat and ground attack, representing an expensive piece of equipment valued at approximately 150 billion won per unit.

The Iranian military weapon allegedly used in the downing, a shoulder-fired surface-to-air missile, is valued at around 65 million won, creating a price difference of approximately 2,300 times compared to the F-15E. This man-portable air-defense system, fired from the shoulder, measures up to 1.7 meters in length, has a range of 5 to 6 kilometers, and is primarily used for surprise attacks against low-altitude aircraft or helicopters.