Drones Are The New “Bullets”! U.S. Plans To Leapfrog Rivals With Low-Cost Drones In Radical Policy Shift

By
Sumit Ahlawat
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Treat drones like bullets and “small munitions more than high-end airplanes.” This was the most crucial message from US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth as he signed a new memo, signaling far-reaching changes to the Pentagon’s UAV policy, that can have a significant impact on how the US conducts warfare in the coming years and decades.

Launching the US’s boldest military drone modernization effort to date, Hegseth has ordered the removal of any policies that slow down the development and deployment of drones.

Pointing out that drone technology is advancing rapidly and acknowledging that the adversaries of the US are collectively producing millions of cheap drones every year, Hegseth has directed the US armed forces to equip combat units with a wide range of low-cost drones.

Notably, this year, Russia has set a target of producing four million drones, while Ukraine is aiming to produce 4.5 million drones.

Hegseth blamed the red tape of previous administrations for the US military units lacking lethal combat drones required by modern warfare.

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“I am rescinding restrictive policies that hindered production and limited access to these vital technologies, unleashing the combined potential of American manufacturing and warfighter ingenuity,” he wrote.

The memo makes far-reaching changes to the US drone policy.

The Tectonic Shift In US Drone Policy

Supporting US Drone Industry: In the memo, Hegseth demonstrated a commitment to protecting and developing the US’s domestic drone industry.

“Our overt preference is to Buy American…we will power a technological leapfrog, arming our combat units with a variety of low-cost drones made by America’s world-leading engineers and AI experts,” Hegseth wrote in the memo.

“Within 30 days, the Office of Strategic Capital and Department of Government Efficiency will present options, including advance purchase commitments, direct loans, or other incentives called for in Reference (a) that accelerate the growth of the U.S. industrial base to outfit our combat units with cheap and effective U.S.-made UAS.”

Reforming US Drone Procurement Process: Hegseth suggested that building drone dominance is not just a technological race, but it also demands fundamental reforms in processes and procurement strategy.

“Drone dominance is a process race as much as a technological race. Modern battlefield innovation demands a new procurement strategy that fuses manufacturers with our frontline troops,” he wrote.

It is also important to train as we are expected to fight, he said, adding that “to simulate the modern battlefield, senior officers must overcome the bureaucracy’s instinctive risk-aversion on everything from budgeting to weaponising and training.”

“Lethality will not be hindered by self-imposed restrictions, especially when it comes to harnessing technologies we invented but were slow to pursue.”

Drones for Every US Army Squad: Hegseth directed every US Army squad to be armed with small, one-way attack drones by the end of fiscal 2026. Further, he encouraged the troops to modify small drones as necessary in the field.

Decentralized Procurement Authority: Hegseth delegated the authority to procure, test, and operate small drones (Group 1 and 2) to O-6 commanders (colonels or equivalents), which will allow for rapid procurement without bureaucratic delays.
Reclassifying Drones as Consumable Commodities: Small drones are redefined as consumable commodities, rather than durable assets, thereby exempting them from strict tracking and airworthiness requirements, which simplifies acquisition and reduces costs.
“Small UAS resemble munitions more than high-end airplanes. They should be cheap, rapidly replaceable, and categorized as consumables. The Secretaries of the Military Departments will modify or delete all internal policies overregulating procurement, testing, training, and fielding of small UAS that are inconsistent with this guidance,” the memo said.
Mandatory Drone Training for the US military: By 2027, all major military training events must incorporate drones, with force-on-force “drone wars” starting in 2026. Furthermore, by the end of 2026, all US army squads must be equipped with low-cost, expendable drones.
The memo also directs the officials to “remove inappropriate range restrictions, fast-track and expand spectrum approval, and establish a variety of UAS training areas that include live fire, combined arms, and swarm testing.”
This will ensure adequate training opportunities and space for drone testing and training.

Impact On US Drone Infrastructure

Together, these measures will ensure that US commanders can swiftly procure drones, scale up acquisition, bypassing traditional approval layers.
The policy shift ensures that not only will all US combat units have drone units, but they will have the liberty and flexibility to procure and modify drones as per their battlefield requirements, and train their squads in the proficient use of drones.
The memo underlines that drone warfare is not the future but the present. It acknowledges that over 70 % of the casualties in the Ukraine war are because of drones.
The policy document prioritizes the domestic US drone industry, offering incentives such as direct loans and advance purchase commitments to ensure the development of indigenous drone capabilities.
Predator Avenger drone by General Atomics. (Via General Atomics)
It removes the restrictive policies of previous administrations, red tape, and bureaucratic control, giving local commanders unprecedented autonomy to test, order, procure, adapt, and train their troops in the use of drones.
It aims to unleash US drone dominance by 2027 to level out the strategic advantage gained by adversaries like China and Russia, who have outpaced the US in the critical area of drone development and deployment.
“U.S. capital markets attract the best entrepreneurs and engineers in the world. U.S. scientists lead in artificial intelligence. The U.S. military has the Nation’s best and brightest in its ranks. Our adversaries have a head start in small UAS, but we will perform a technological leapfrog and establish small UAS domain dominance by the end of 2027. We will accomplish this urgent goal by combining the Nation’s best qualities, including risk-taking,” it added.
It remains to be seen how far this policy shift will ensure US dominance in the field of drone development and deployment.
  • Sumit Ahlawat has over a decade of experience in news media. He has worked with Press Trust of India, Times Now, Zee News, Economic Times, and Microsoft News. He holds a Master’s Degree in International Media and Modern History from the University of Sheffield, UK. 
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  • He can be reached at ahlawat.sumit85 (at) gmail.com

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