Washington: The U.S. Department of Defense needs to "swiftly develop counter-drone capabilities," as American forces are unprepared for current threats from low-cost drones in the Middle East or in potential conflicts with China over Taiwan, a U.S. think tank said Wednesday.

According to Focus Taiwan, U.S. air dominance is being undermined by drones used as mass precision weapons, as seen in the Middle East, the Washington-based Center for a New American Security (CNAS) said in a report released that day. The report, authored by CNAS Defense Program director Stacie Pettyjohn and research assistant Molly Campbell, analyzed American combat operations in the Middle East to assess if the United States is prepared for future drone threats, especially from China.

Since 2004, Iran-produced drones have provided Tehran-backed proxy forces with cheap precision weapons more accurate than missiles or rockets, imposing disproportionate costs on the U.S., the report said. U.S. troops have used missiles costing up to millions of dollars to take down drones worth US$50,000, which CNAS said is not cost-effective or sustainable.

The report described China as Washington's "foremost strategic threat," and stated that the People's Liberation Army "is rapidly advancing its drone capabilities by developing more autonomous systems and acquiring them at scale."