A similar reduction in cost has been achieved for the Maverick missile. Use of more expensive technology can reduce the total number of munitions. As a reminder of that fact, the story was repeated about the Thanh Hoa Bridge in Vietnam. A total of 800 sorties dropping dumb bombs could not bring down the bridge. Four sorties using laser guided bombs got the job done.
Smart weapons are affordable from the overall mission perspective.
One of these missions was the night flight of several Army AH-64 Apache helicopters deep into IRAQ to attack critical command and control facilities with laser guided Hellfire missiles. This one mission nullified the ability of IRAQ to track the initial operations of the conflict. Apply technology that reduces attrition. A number of aircraft were lost in the 800 sorties mentioned above. None were last in the four sorties.