"resulting controversy is pretty much guaranteed to terminate the program."
I'm not aware of any controversy that stopped weapon progress. We have biological weapon research, atomic weapons and the US used chemical agents in Vietnam.
The US stopped tactical nuclear weapons because it thought they were not useful, not because of the protests in Europe.
SDI was cancelled because laser weapons were not feasable in the 80s, not because of the controversy.
There are more mines used in Ukraine than ever before - despite "bans". There is cluster ammunition delivered despite a huge controversy.
"clouds or smokescreens."
Sure smokescreens can only jam low flying drones? If you smoke a target the drone waits for you running out of smoke rounds.
I'm not aware of any controversy that stopped weapon progress. We have biological weapon research, atomic weapons and the US used chemical agents in Vietnam.
The US stopped tactical nuclear weapons because it thought they were not useful, not because of the protests in Europe.
SDI was cancelled because laser weapons were not feasable in the 80s, not because of the controversy.
There are more mines used in Ukraine than ever before - despite "bans". There is cluster ammunition delivered despite a huge controversy.
"clouds or smokescreens."
Sure smokescreens can only jam low flying drones? If you smoke a target the drone waits for you running out of smoke rounds.