Extracting an FGM-148 Javelin ATGM for application as a cumulative warhead on a UAV.

CLU is like $250k by itself, missile is like $220k. And prolly like $200k of that missile price is what’s visible on the nose before the first hammer tap. Arri Alexa’s dream of growing up to be that camera lol.

I think there is good tactical reason for it and I trust these guys have been doing it long enough to not waste ordinance. I can think of at least one advantage for use with UAV which I won’t speculate on here in the incredibly unlikely event that I might be right.

it would seem crazy to sacrifice it if it wasn't damaged

To be fair, the best kit you'll ever get is the right kit at the right time. If what you need is a tandem warhead that can track, hit and destroy pretty much any vehicle, or punch through a bunker, at anything from a couple hundred meters to a couple kilometres, and you have a Javelin... you're in luck! On the other hand, if what you need is a tandem warhead to destroy a static armoured target that you can't get line-of-sight to, and you have a Javelin... You're carrying a very expensive but useless rocket and tracking system that just happens to also contain the exact warhead you need.

Once a piece of equipment like a Javelin is in the field, it's only real value is in whether it can help you achieve your objective. Its dollar value seizes to be of relevance. The only relevant questions are "Do I have a large enough supply of this munition to prioritise using it for that target?" and "Do I have another munition that I can and should use instead?" If the answer is "yes" to the first and "no" to the second, you use the munition in whatever way is most practical.