Pentagon orders rapid drone build-up
By
Dylan Malyasov
Jul 11, 2025
Modified date: Jul 11, 2025
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth issued a new directive Thursday aimed at shaking up the Pentagon’s procurement system and rapidly expanding its arsenal of unmanned aerial systems (UAS).
In a memo titled “Unleashing U.S. Military Drone Dominance,” addressed to senior Pentagon leadership, combatant commanders and directors of defense agencies, Hegseth described uncrewed systems as “the biggest battlefield innovation in a generation.”
“Our adversaries collectively produce millions of cheap drones each year. While global military drone production skyrocketed over the last three years, the previous administration deployed red tape. U.S. units are not outfitted with the lethal small drones the modern battlefield requires,” Hegseth wrote.
The directive outlines several key initiatives, including approving “hundreds” of American-made products for purchase by the U.S. military, equipping combat units with a variety of “low-cost drones made by America’s world-leading engineers and AI experts,” and more widely integrating UAS into training exercises.
https://defence-blog.com/pentagon-orders-rapid-drone-build-up/
