Iran Shifts Drone Strategy as Stockpiles Hold but Usage Drops
Assessments indicate Iran’s arsenal of kamikaze drones particularly the Shahed drones remains substantial, with stockpiles still estimated in the “thousands” despite strikes on production facilities near Shahroud.
A key factor behind this resilience is Iran’s use of underground storage networks, often referred to as “missile cities,” which make large-scale destruction of these assets significantly more difficult.
However, strategy has clearly shifted. Instead of mass launches numbering in the hundreds, Iran is now deploying drones in smaller waves of approximately 50–100 per day aimed at conserving inventory while continuously probing and exhausting enemy air defense systems.
This approach signals a transition from saturation attacks to sustained pressure tactics, balancing resource preservation with ongoing operational impact.