WASHINGTON – The Pentagon has delivered more than 25,000 unmanned and counter-drone systems to U.S. forces in the Middle East this year under a $782 million initiative, as the United States expands its autonomous warfare capabilities.
The deployment includes more than 1,300 one-way attack drones, over 100 unmanned surface and underwater vessels, and more than 24,000 counter-unmanned aircraft systems (C-UAS) designed to protect deployed forces against hostile drones.
The deliveries are managed by the Direct Reporting Portfolio Manager for Unmanned Systems (DRPM-UxS), established in July to accelerate drone development and procurement. It coordinates with Joint Interagency Task Force 401, the War Department Innovation Unit and the Defense Autonomous Warfare Group. Joint Interagency Task Force 401 is responsible for fielding counter-drone systems.
DRPM-UxS Director Owen West said the initiative focuses on providing affordable systems that meet current battlefield requirements. The Pentagon plans to expand similar deployments to the Indo-Pacific and Europe.
Project Agincourt to Establish Autonomous Warfare Command
In September, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth expanded the office's mission through Project Agincourt. Led by Owen West and Navy SEAL Senior Chief Max Strasiser, the initiative is preparing to establish the Autonomous Warfare Command (Autowarcom).
The proposed four-star functional combatant command will oversee unmanned and autonomous warfare across the U.S. joint force. An open letter to industry partners set October 1, 2027, as the target date for becoming operational. Its objective is to connect technology development directly with military operations for faster adaptation to battlefield requirements.
Pentagon Invests Over $6 Billion in Drone Production
Over the past year, the Department of War has invested more than $6 billion in unmanned systems across air, land and maritime domains. A four-stage procurement programme aims to encourage U.S. manufacturers to produce approximately 300,000 low-cost drones.
The programme includes:
-
Phase One: Completed in July, with 12 vendors producing 30,000 drones at a target price of $5,000 each, worth $150 million.
-
Phase Two: Scheduled to finish in January 2027, involving 10 vendors and approximately 60,000 drones at the same target price.
-
Phase Four: Planned for January 2028, targeting an increase in cumulative orders from 30,000 to 150,000 drones while reducing the target unit price to $2,300.
The strategy aims to provide manufacturers with predictable demand so they can expand production capacity and reduce costs.
Separately, the Pentagon's Office of Strategic Capital announced a $450 million conditional loan commitment to California-based Neros Technologies. The funding will support vertically integrated drone manufacturing, with the company targeting production capacity of one million drones annually.
The combined initiatives reflect the Pentagon's growing focus on affordable, mass-produced autonomous systems and faster procurement across the U.S. military.
——— End of Article ———
