Pentagon Seeks $50B in Reconciliation Funding to Scale Drone Production to Millions
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told AUSA attendees at the Project Agincourt panel that the Pentagon is requesting roughly $50 billion in reconciliation funding to scale autonomous and robotic systems from thousands to millions of units. He described it as a one-time investment separate from the fiscal 2027 budget request, which includes $53.6 billion for the Drone Dominance initiative. Acting Army Secretary Adam Telle outlined broader access for non-traditional companies, expanded test ranges, and a 390A warrant officer robotics specialty. The Army's $1 billion Drone Dominance program aims to fund about 340,000 small unmanned aircraft systems over two years.
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Pentagon Seeks $50B in Reconciliation Funding for Mass Drone Production
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced at the AUSA Project Agincourt panel that the Pentagon is requesting roughly $50 billion in reconciliation funding to scale autonomous and robotic systems from thousands to millions of units. This one-time investment is separate from the fiscal 2027 budget request, which includes $53.6 billion for the Drone Dominance initiative covering procurement, counter-unmanned systems, logistics, collaborative autonomy, and personnel. Hegseth emphasized the need for lower-cost systems and easier market entry for new companies. The Army's Drone Dominance program plans to fund approximately 340,000 small unmanned aircraft systems over two years with a $1 billion initiative. Acting Army Secretary Adam Telle discussed broadening access for non-traditional companies, expanding test ranges, and creating a warrant officer specialty for robotics training.
Pentagon Seeks $50B Reconciliation Funding for Mass Drone Production, Hegseth Says
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told AUSA attendees at the Project Agincourt panel that the Pentagon is requesting roughly $50 billion in reconciliation funding to scale autonomous and robotic systems from thousands to millions of units. Hegseth characterized the funding as a one-time investment separate from the fiscal 2027 budget request, which includes $53.6 billion for the Drone Dominance initiative covering unmanned-system procurement, counter-unmanned systems, contested logistics, collaborative autonomy, and institutional systems. Hegseth said the department must lower barriers for new companies to compete in a defense market long dominated by established contractors, while traditional firms remain important. Acting Army Secretary Adam Telle described broadening access for non-traditional companies, expanding test-range access, and a new 390A warrant officer specialty for robotics training. The Army's $1 billion Drone Dominance program aims to fund approximately 340,000 small unmanned aircraft systems over two years.
Pentagon Seeks $50B Reconciliation Funding for Mass Drone Production
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told AUSA attendees at the Project Agincourt panel that the Pentagon is requesting roughly $50 billion in reconciliation funding to scale autonomous and robotic systems, separate from the fiscal 2027 budget request that includes $53.6 billion for the Drone Dominance initiative. Hegseth characterized the funding as a one-time investment to accelerate development and production, saying the department will deal with hundreds of thousands of one-way attack systems this year and millions in years to come. Acting Army Secretary Adam Telle said the service is broadening access for non-traditional companies and expanding test range access, while the Army's $1 billion Drone Dominance program aims to fund about 340,000 small unmanned aircraft systems over two years.
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Pentagon Seeks $50B Reconciliation Funding for Mass Drone Production, Hegseth Says
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the Pentagon is requesting roughly $50 billion in reconciliation funding to scale autonomous and robotic systems from thousands to millions of units. He characterized the funding as a one-time investment separate from the fiscal 2027 budget request, which includes $53.6 billion for the Drone Dominance initiative. Hegseth said the department must lower barriers for new defense companies while traditional firms remain important. Acting Army Secretary Adam Telle described broadening access for non-traditional companies, expanding test range access, and developing a robotics warrant officer specialty. The Army's $1 billion Drone Dominance program aims to fund about 340,000 small unmanned aircraft systems over two years.
Pentagon Seeks $50B in Reconciliation Funds for Mass Drone Production
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told AUSA attendees at the Project Agincourt panel that the Pentagon is requesting roughly $50 billion in reconciliation funding to scale autonomous and robotic weapons from thousands to millions of units. Hegseth described the funding as a one-time investment separate from the fiscal 2027 budget request, which includes $53.6 billion for the Drone Dominance initiative covering procurement, counter-unmanned systems, contested logistics, collaborative autonomy, and institutional systems. Hegseth said the department must lower barriers for new entrants in a defense market long dominated by established contractors, while Acting Army Secretary Adam Telle described broadening industry access, expanding test-range availability, and creating a 390A warrant officer specialty for robotics training. The Army's $1 billion Drone Dominance program aims to fund roughly 340,000 small unmanned aircraft systems over two years.