Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has issued a shock new order to fast track the production and deployment of drones, sparking fears of an arms race with Russia and China. Hegseth issued two memos seen by Fox News which rescinded a long held policy the restricting the usage of drones which he argued were limiting innovation.

‘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.’ Hegseth acknowledged that America’s adversaries – namely Russia and China – have a ‘head start’ on the use of unmanned aircraft systems. 

‘Our adversaries collectively produce millions of cheap drones each year,’ Hegseth wrote. ‘While global military drone production skyrocketed over the last three years, the previous administration deployed red tape. US units are not outfitted with the lethal small drones the modern battlefield requires.’

He said the Department of Defense had historically ‘failed to field UAS [unmanned aircraft system] at scale and speed.’ ‘Small UAS are such critical force enablers that they must be prioritized at the same level as major weapons systems.’ He hopes his new policy will help America to establish dominance in the drone sphere by the end of 2027.

‘We will accomplish this urgent goal by combining the Nation’s best qualities, including risk-taking,’ he wrote. ‘Senior officers must set the tone. Accelerating this critical battlefield technology requires a Department of War culture.’ Under Hegseth’s new rules, commanders who hold a ranking of colonel or captain will be able to independently obtain and test drones. This includes 3D-printed prototypes and off-the-shelf drones bought commercially. They will have to meet a certain criteria to quality. These drones will be able to be operated immediately.

Hegseth’s workaround sees small drones redefined from durable military assets – which required tracking systems – to consumables, which do not require such intense vetting processes. ‘Next year I expect to see this capability integrated into all relevant combat training, including force-on-force drone wars,’ Hegseth said.

He vowed to expand training ranges by implementing at least three new UAS testing sites within the next 90 days. All drone arming requests must receive a response within 30 days, while battery certifications will take no more than seven days.

The Pentagon will look to make advance purchase commitments within 30 days, favoring US companies as per the Trump administration’s pledge to reinvest in American businesses.

The decision comes just weeks after Israel relied heavily on drone strikes during its bombing of Iran. Iran hit back with drones of its own. Drones have also become a key part of the Russia-Ukraine war.