Pentagon Accepts SpaceX's $25,000 Starlink Drone Fee as Iran War Deepens Reliance
Updated
Updated · Reuters · May 26
Pentagon Accepts SpaceX's $25,000 Starlink Drone Fee as Iran War Deepens Reliance
15 articles · Updated · Reuters · May 26
$25,000 per month is what the Pentagon ultimately agreed to pay for Starlink connections on LUCAS attack drones, up from about $5,000 and almost doubling each drone’s roughly $30,000 cost.
SpaceX argued the drones were using a higher-value aviation tier rather than cheaper land or mobility service, after Musk publicly said commercial Starlink terms barred use on weapon systems and pointed to the separate Starshield network.
The pricing fight widened beyond drones: SpaceX also sought as much as $500 million to launch direct-to-cell service in Iran and $100 million a month to run it, alarming Pentagon officials trying to bypass Tehran’s internet blackouts.
More than a dozen U.S. drone systems already use Starshield terminals, and the Pentagon is weighing over 3,500 additional subscriptions, including 100 at the higher aviation tier.
Roughly 10,000 SpaceX satellites now make up more than 60% of those in orbit, leaving the Pentagon with few comparable alternatives and giving Musk greater leverage over a critical military network.
Is SpaceX's uncensored internet for Iran a lifeline or a profitable venture beyond reach?
How can the Pentagon prevent a single company from holding its military operations hostage?
When a CEO controls wartime communications, who is really in command?