WASHINGTON, D.C. — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has issued sweeping new directives aimed at overhauling how the U.S. military builds, deploys, and uses small drones, in what officials are calling a major shift in modern warfare strategy.
In two internal memos obtained by Fox News Digital, Hegseth declared that the Pentagon is removing bureaucratic restrictions to fast-track drone production and testing—part of a broader initiative driven by President Trump to regain unmanned systems dominance over Russia and China.
“The Department’s bureaucratic gloves are coming off,” Hegseth wrote. “Lethality will not be hindered by self-imposed restrictions. Our major risk is risk-avoidance.”
The directive allows commanders at the rank of colonel or captain to independently procure and test small drones—including commercial and 3D-printed models—without prior Pentagon approval, as long as they meet national security standards. Combat training with drones will now be mandatory across all service branches.
Drones Reclassified as ‘Consumables’
In a significant policy shift, small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS), categorized as Group 1 and Group 2 drones, will now be treated like expendable munitions instead of durable aircraft.
“Small UAS resemble munitions more than high-end airplanes,” the memo states. “They should be cheap, rapidly replaceable, and categorized as consumable.”
This reclassification removes drones from the legacy asset-tracking systems and streamlines procurement, training, and deployment across the board.
To support the new posture, Hegseth is mandating the creation of three new national UAS testing ranges within 90 days, enabling live-fire exercises, combined arms coordination, and autonomous swarm testing.
Weapons authorization and battery certifications—often a bottleneck—must now be completed within 30 days and one week, respectively.
AI-Driven Procurement and Oversight
Hegseth also announced the creation of a “Blue List”—a centralized, AI-powered digital platform to track vetted drone vendors, components, and performance metrics. Managed by the Defense Contract Management Agency by 2026, it will use daily AI updates to ensure the data remains current and mission-ready.
The Pentagon has been instructed to prioritize American companies for major procurement and will deploy advance purchase commitments, direct loans, and other financial incentives to rapidly scale domestic production.
U.S. Playing Catch-Up on the Drone Battlefield
The urgency behind Hegseth’s order stems from the evolving role of drones in modern conflicts. In Ukraine, loitering munitions and tactical drones have reshaped how both Russian and Ukrainian forces engage in frontline combat. Iranian-made Shahed-136 drones, used extensively by Russia, have proven especially disruptive—carrying out GPS-guided strikes against infrastructure and evading traditional missile defense systems at a fraction of the cost.
Ukraine has responded with modified commercial drones capable of precision strikes against Russian positions, including vehicles and naval targets.
Earlier this month, Israel’s Operation Rising Lion showcased the strategic use of drone warfare, coordinating unmanned and manned air strikes to neutralize Iranian nuclear and military sites. Iran countered with a wave of drone attacks, highlighting the growing reliance on UAS in high-stakes operations.
“Small drones are critical force enablers,” Hegseth said. “They must be prioritized on par with tanks, jets, and long-range missile systems.”
The Pentagon’s goal is to fully integrate drone combat capabilities into all military branches by the end of 2027, including force-on-force drone warfare scenarios in routine combat training.
Political Heat and Media Pushback
At a recent press conference, Hegseth lashed out at what he called the media’s “hatred of President Trump,” criticizing coverage of recent U.S.-led strikes on Iranian nuclear infrastructure. The secretary doubled down on the administration’s military strategy, insisting that the shift toward autonomous systems is not just necessary—but overdue.
“Our adversaries aren’t waiting. Neither should we,” he said.
The initiative follows President Trump’s “Unleashing American Drone Dominance” executive order, which calls for slashing acquisition timelines and turbocharging domestic production across the defense tech sector.
