The actual story is the reverse reverse engineering since Iran’s drones were developed by spoofing an American drone. Let’s compare that to the cost of one F-35:

Approximately 2,929 LUCAS drones could be produced with the budget for a single F-35 (rounding up from the fractional result, though exactly it covers 2,928 full units with some leftover funds). Note that this is a direct cost comparison and doesn’t account for factors like development overhead, bulk production discounts, or operational expenses. (Grok)

For a quick reference:

The F-35 is the DoD’s most expensive weapons program, with total lifecycle costs now exceeding $2 trillion—400% over initial estimates adjusted for inflation. (Grok)

The future of war is asymmetric warfare:

In an era of advanced technology, asymmetric warfare favors innovation and adaptability. Weaker actors can use commercial off-the-shelf tech (e.g., drones, AI) to challenge superpowers, leading to prolonged conflicts and high costs for the stronger side.

This has influenced U.S. military doctrine, emphasizing irregular warfare as a core activity alongside conventional ops.

However, it’s not always successful for the underdog—superior forces can adapt with counterinsurgency strategies, intelligence, and alliances. (Grok)