Pentagon jumps from $225M to $55B on drones as cheap attacks overwhelm US defenses
The Pentagon is requesting $55 billion for drone and autonomous warfare programs in its fiscal year 2027 budget. This marks a significant increase from the previous year's $225 million, reflecting a shift in military strategy towards cheaper, AI-enabled systems. The funding aims to address challenges posed by low-cost drones that have been effective in recent conflicts, particularly in the Middle East and Ukraine.
- ▪The funding request represents a major shift in how the U.S. military plans to fight future wars.
- ▪The Pentagon's budget request for national defense spending is approximately $1.5 trillion, a more than 40% increase from the prior year.
- ▪The strategy focuses on deploying large numbers of cheaper systems capable of operating in coordinated groups, known as drone swarms.
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Pete Hegseth Pentagon jumps from $225M to $55B on drones as cheap attacks overwhelm US defenses Funding tied to the little-known Defense Autonomous Warfare Group spans procurement, research, training and sustainment By Morgan Phillips Fox News Published April 28, 2026 12:57pm EDT Facebook Twitter Threads Flipboard Comments Print Email Add Fox News on Google close Video FBI ‘SPOOKED’ by sophisticated theft of chemical-spraying drones The FBI is investigating the theft of more than a dozen agricultural drones in New Jersey, raising concerns the technology could fall into the wrong hands.
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