The United States is a powerhouse on the global stage. The Trump admin is hoping to keep it that way.
And the Secretary of Defense has issued an enormous order that has America’s enemies on notice.
In a decisive move to redefine modern warfare, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has unleashed a series of directives to accelerate drone production and deployment across the U.S. military. These orders, detailed in memos first gathered by Fox News Digital, aim to position the United States as a global leader in unmanned aerial systems (UAS) by 2027, outpacing competitors like Russia and China.
Breaking Down Barriers
Hegseth’s directives dismantle long-standing policies that slowed innovation, empowering commanders to act swiftly. Colonels or captains can now obtain and test drones independently, including 3D-printed prototypes and off-the-shelf commercial systems, provided they meet national security standards. This newfound autonomy allows commanders to bypass traditional bureaucratic hurdles, enabling immediate training and operation of drones, including non-lethal autonomous systems in controlled settings.
“The Department’s bureaucratic gloves are coming off,” Hegseth declared. “Lethality will not be hindered by self-imposed restrictions… Our major risk is risk-avoidance.”
Redefining Drones as Consumables
The memos reclassify small drones (Group 1 and 2) as consumable items, akin to munitions rather than high-end aircraft. “Small UAS resemble munitions more than high-end airplanes,” one directive noted. “They should be cheap, rapidly replaceable, and categorized as consumable.” This shift removes small drones from outdated tracking systems, streamlining acquisition and fostering rapid deployment.
Hegseth emphasized that the Department of Defense has “failed to field UAS at scale and speed” until now. To address this, he mandated that small UAS be prioritized alongside major weapons systems, recognizing their critical role as force multipliers on the battlefield.
Expanding Training and Testing
To ensure combat readiness, Hegseth ordered the creation of three new UAS national test sites within 90 days, alongside expanded training ranges. These facilities will support live-fire exercises, combined arms drills, and swarm testing, preparing forces for the complexities of drone warfare.
Collaboration with the FAA will also streamline range restrictions, expedite spectrum approvals, and establish diverse UAS training areas.
Accelerating Weaponization and Innovation
Weaponization processes, often mired in delays, are being overhauled. Weapons Boards will now have to respond to drone arming requests within 30 days, and battery certifications will be processed in just one week.
To further spur innovation, the Pentagon will launch a “dynamic, AI-searchable Blue List” by 2026, managed by the Defense Contract Management Agency. This digital platform will catalog approved drone components, vendors, and performance metrics, updated nightly through AI-driven data pipelines. To boost the domestic drone industry, the Pentagon will roll out advance purchase commitments, direct loans, and other capital incentives in the span of 30 days, with a clear preference for U.S. companies.
A Response to Global Trends
The urgency of Hegseth’s directives stems from the transformative role drones have played in recent conflicts, particularly in Ukraine and the Middle East. Since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, drones have reshaped warfare, evolving from surveillance and targeting tools to lethal “kamikaze drones” like Iran’s Shahed-136. These low-cost, GPS-guided systems have targeted Ukrainian infrastructure, often outmaneuvering costly missile defenses. Ukraine, in turn, has adapted commercial drones to deliver explosives, striking Russian targets with force.
In the Middle East, Israel’s recent Operation Rising Lion showcased drones’ strategic value, coordinating them with manned missions to strike Iranian military and nuclear targets. Iran’s retaliatory drone barrages further highlight the growing dominance of UAS in modern combat.
A Vision for Dominance
Hegseth’s vision is clear: integrate drones into all relevant combat training by next year, including “force-on-force drone wars.” “Small UAS are such critical force enablers that they must be prioritized at the same level as major weapons systems,” he stated.
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