Pentagon Seeks 300,000 Cheap Killer Drones for $54 Billion Arsenal
Updated
Updated · The Washington Post · Jun 1
Pentagon Seeks 300,000 Cheap Killer Drones for $54 Billion Arsenal
5 articles · Updated · The Washington Post · Jun 1
$54 billion is the Pentagon’s target for a new arsenal of 300,000 low-cost attack drones, with a contest opened to companies that can mass-produce what officials see as cheap flying bombs.
Ukraine and Iran conflicts drove the push, convincing the Trump administration that small, expendable drones have become essential and that the U.S. military is lagging in that segment.
The competition reaches beyond traditional defense primes to unconventional suppliers, including firms tied to golf-course drone analytics, aerial light shows and a startup founded by a 23-year-old former drone-racing champion.
That broad search underscores a wider Pentagon shift toward commercial-style speed and lower-cost weapons as it tries to close what officials describe as a major gap in the U.S. arsenal.
Is America's pivot from million-dollar missiles to cheap drone swarms a winning strategy?
Can U.S. factories outpace China in the new global drone arms race?
With 300,000 AI drones planned, who is truly in control on the future battlefield?
DAWG and the $54.6 Billion Bet: Inside America’s Push for Autonomous Drone Warfare and the New Global Arms Race
Overview
The United States is making a major shift in military strategy by establishing the Defense Autonomous Warfare Group (DAWG) in response to evolving global threats. DAWG’s ambitious agenda is driven by the need to reduce human casualties and address the high costs of modern warfare. The Pentagon has requested $54.6 billion for DAWG’s research and development, with most of the funding placed in a flexible reconciliation pot. This approach gives the Pentagon greater agility to adapt to rapid technological changes, aiming to develop effective autonomous systems that can meet new security challenges while managing costs and risks.