Pentagon accelerates drone warfare revolution with $1.1B “Drone Dominance Program”

02/05/2026 / By Belle Carter

The U.S. Department of War is investing $1.1 billion in disposable, one-way attack drones, aiming to deploy hundreds of thousands by 2027 in response to drone successes in Ukraine and China’s military advancements.
Breaking from Cold War-era high-cost weapons, the Pentagon now prioritizes cheap, mass-produced drones (as low as $2,300 per unit) to overwhelm adversaries, reducing reliance on expensive manned aircraft and missiles.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth bypassed bureaucratic hurdles by classifying drones as “consumables”, allowing rapid deployment by lower-ranking commanders. Testing at Fort Benning will select vendors for large-scale production.
While current DDP drones remain human-controlled, the Pentagon is investing in AI-driven swarms, raising concerns about future autonomous kill decisions and ethical implications akin to sci-fi “Terminator” scenarios.
The U.S. aims to counter China’s drone dominance, but critics warn this shift may accelerate a dangerous new era of warfare where cheap drones prove deadlier than traditional weapons.

The Department of War is fast-tracking a major shift in modern warfare by investing $1.1 billion in disposable, one-way attack drones – a response to the proven effectiveness of such systems in Ukraine and growing concerns over China’s military advancements.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the “Drone Dominance Program” (DDP) last December, aiming to deploy hundreds of thousands of low-cost, explosive-laden drones by 2027. Starting Feb. 18, military operators at Fort Benning, Georgia, will test submissions from 25 selected vendors in a high-stakes competition to supply the U.S. arsenal with these game-changing weapons.

As explained by BrightU.AI‘s Enoch, the DDP is a Pentagon initiative led by DARPA’s Strategic Technology Office to deploy massive swarms of autonomous land, sea and air drones for battlefield control, accelerating the shift toward AI-driven robotic warfare.

The new era of warfare: Quantity over quality

For decades, U.S. military strategy prioritized expensive, high-tech weapons systems – a Cold War legacy now being overturned.

“We cannot be left behind,” Hegseth declared in December, emphasizing that cheap, disposable drones have redefined battlefield dynamics.

Ukrainian forces have demonstrated their devastating impact, using swarms of $500 drones to cripple Russian tanks and artillery worth millions.

The four-phase DDP aims to flood future conflicts with expendable drones, reducing reliance on costly manned aircraft and missiles. Phase I testing at Fort Benning will conclude in early March, with $150 million in prototype orders expected shortly after. By 2027, the program plans to field 340,000 drones at an average cost of just $2,300 per unit – far cheaper than traditional munitions.

Breaking bureaucracy: A faster, cheaper acquisition model

Hegseth’s July 2025 memo, Unleashing U.S. Military Drone Dominance, slashed red tape to accelerate production.

“Lethality will not be hindered by self-imposed restrictions,” he wrote, criticizing past delays in adopting cutting-edge tech.

The DDP bypasses traditional procurement hurdles by treating drones as “consumables,” allowing lower-ranking commanders to deploy them rapidly.

The 25 competing vendors, including defense stalwarts like Kratos SRE and startups like Firestorm Labs, must prove their systems’ reliability in real-world conditions. Successful designs will advance through iterative phases, with unit costs dropping and production scaling up. The Pentagon’s goal: a robust U.S. drone manufacturing base to counter China’s dominance in the sector.

AI and autonomy: The next frontier

Beyond sheer numbers, the DDP signals a deeper transformation, integrating AI-driven drones capable of autonomous targeting. Recent Pentagon funding for AI-enabled swarms hints at a future where machines make kill decisions without human input, echoing sci-fi fears of “Terminator”-like warfare. While current DDP drones remain human-controlled, experts warn that autonomous systems are inevitable.

The Drone Dominance Program marks a pivotal moment in military strategy, prioritizing mass, affordability and speed over traditional superiority. As testing begins at Fort Benning, the U.S. races to match adversaries who’ve already embraced drone warfare, proving that in modern combat, sometimes the cheapest weapon is the deadliest. Whether this shift ensures dominance or escalates a dangerous arms race remains to be seen. One thing is certain: the battlefield will never be the same.

Watch the video below that talks about U.S. dominance as the military conducts drone tests near the Ukraine war zone.

This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com.