US EditionArmy drops legacy weapons in $36B push for drone warfare: Report
- On February 3, 2025, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth signed a memo directing the U.S. Army to modernize by replacing legacy weapons with a $36 billion drone-focused overhaul.
- The memo responded to outdated counterinsurgency-era systems and slow acquisition, aiming to streamline headquarters and prioritize rapid integration of commercial modular technologies.
- The Army plans to equip its 10 active combat divisions with about 1,000 drones each by 2026 for surveillance, supply, and strike missions, informed by lessons from Ukraine and Indo-Pacific threats.
- Hegseth described the goal as building a "leaner, more lethal force" by cutting ineffective programs and restructuring acquisitions to enhance capabilities like electronic warfare and counter-drone defenses.
- This overhaul marks the Army’s largest since the Cold War and signals a shift toward more responsive procurement and drone warfare to better deter China and improve soldier lethality.
15 Articles
15 Articles
Army looking to cancel legacy systems, pursue dual-use capabilities
The Army is planning to eliminate systems it deems obsolete for soldiers on the battlefield in the future, as senior leaders call for greater use of commercially available capabilities going forward. The traditional acquisition system can take years from initial requirements to fielding meaning that by the time units received it, the capability could be outdated or didn’t work as intended. “The American politicians over 30 years have harmed the …
Army drops legacy weapons in $36B push for drone warfare: Report
In a major military shift, the U.S. Army plans to overhaul every active-duty division by adding about 1,000 drones to each one. That’s according to a Wall Street Journal report detailing a $36 billion transformation plan driven by lessons learned from the war in Ukraine. Known as the Army Transformation Initiative, the plan aims to enhance surveillance, logistics, and strike capabilities by utilizing low-cost drones. Instead of increasing its bu…
The US Army plans to flood its forces with drones, making sure every division has them by next year
A US soldier readies an Anduril Ghost-X helicopter surveillance drone during training in Germany.Sean Gallup/Getty ImagesThe US wants to equip all Army divisions with drones by the end of 2026.The move appears to be heavily influenced by the war in Ukraine.Meanwhile, crewed aircraft and ground vehicles like Humvees are set to be scaled back.Every division of the US Army should be equipped with drones by the end of 2026, according to an official …
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