The Iran war is defense tech's chance to shine, but few systems and weapons are ready

The Iran war is driving demand for lower-cost military technology, particularly drones and counter-drone systems, as the U.S. military realizes it cannot afford expensive responses to cheap threats. Defense tech companies like Anduril, Palantir, and others are gaining Pentagon contracts to develop systems such as LUCAS (a low-cost drone costing about $35,000) and laser counter-drone technology, though these tools currently represent less than 1% of overall defense spending.