Pentagon Unveils Ambitious Drone Dominance Strategy, Citing Urgent Battlefield Need
In a significant policy shift, the Pentagon on Thursday announced a sweeping initiative aimed at establishing US military drone dominance, declaring drones as the most critical battlefield innovation of this generation.
The move came amidst growing concerns over adversaries’ rapid production of low-cost drones and a perceived lag in US capabilities due to past bureaucratic hurdles.
In a memorandum to senior Pentagon leadership, combatant commanders, and defense agency directors, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth outlined a three-pronged mission to “unleash the combined potential of American manufacturing and warfighter ingenuity.”
“Next year I expect to see this capability integrated into all relevant combat training, including force-on-force drone wars,” Hegseth wrote in the memo.
He cited that drones have accounted for “most of this year’s casualties in Ukraine” and argued “drone technology is advancing so rapidly, our major risk is risk-avoidance.”
“Our adversaries collectively produce millions of cheap drones each year,” reads the memorandum.The core components of the new strategy include bolstering US manufacturing and “realistic” training.
Senior officers are tasked with overcoming bureaucratic risk-aversion to integrate drone warfare into all relevant combat training, including “force-on-force drone wars,” within the next year.
This aims to simulate modern battlefield conditions more accurately.Hegseth also confirmed that restrictive policies hindering drone production and access to vital technologies are being rescinded, and authorities for drone procurement and operation are being delegated from the bureaucracy directly to fighters.
“Lethality will not be hindered by self-imposed restrictions… Drone technology is advancing so rapidly, our major risk is risk-avoidance. The Department’s bureaucratic gloves are coming off,” the memorandum concludes.
Source: Alex Raufoglu