Pentagon Orders Rapid UAS Expansion Across Military

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered sweeping reforms across all military branches to accelerate the production, procurement, and deployment of small unmanned aerial systems (UAS), aiming for UAS domain dominance by 2027. The new directive, based on a June executive order from President Trump, rescinds previous restrictions and grants field commanders unprecedented authority to independently procure, test, and train with American-made drones, including 3D-printed and off-the-shelf models. Domestic drone manufacturing, advanced engineering and AI, and the integration of drones in combat training are prioritized, with small drones now classified as consumable rather than durable equipment. The reforms mandate that all drones meet national security standards and exclude components from adversarial countries such as China. These changes are intended to overcome bureaucratic risk aversion, spur rapid innovation, and enable the U.S. military to match or exceed adversaries' drone adoption as seen in recent conflicts. Specialized experimental units will be established by September 1 to support rapid fielding and scaling of small UAS capabilities.