Pentagon Reclassifies Small Drones as Consumable Munitions, Targets 2027 Dominance

Washington D.C. – Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has initiated a sweeping overhaul of the Pentagon's drone procurement and deployment policies, aiming to establish "UAS domain dominance" by 2027. The directive, outlined in a memo titled "Unleashing U.S. Military Drone Dominance," reclassifies small unmanned aerial systems (UAS) as "consumable items," akin to ammunition, rather than high-value aircraft. This strategic shift empowers American officers to independently purchase and test drones, including 3D-printed models, cutting through previous bureaucratic hurdles.

The move comes as the U.S. military seeks to rapidly scale its drone capabilities to counter adversaries who have produced millions of cheap drones annually. Hegseth emphasized that "while our adversaries have produced millions of cheap drones, before us we were mired in bureaucratic red tape. Not anymore." The policy directly addresses lessons learned from conflicts like the war in Ukraine, where inexpensive, expendable drones have proven to be a critical battlefield innovation.

Under the new directive, officers at the rank of colonel or captain are now authorized to procure and test drones, fostering "local innovation." This rescinds restrictive policies from 2021 and 2022 that had limited the U.S. military's ability to acquire certain drones and components, particularly those from Chinese companies. The goal is to bolster the U.S. drone manufacturing base and deliver thousands of low-cost systems to military units.

The memo sets ambitious deadlines for implementation, including the establishment of active-duty experimental formations by September 1, 2025, to scale small UAS across the Joint Force. By the end of 2026, every squad is slated to be equipped with low-cost, expendable drones, with initial fielding prioritized for U.S. Indo-Pacific Command units. Hegseth also mandates the integration of UAS into all relevant combat training, including "force-on-force drone wars," by next year, with full integration into major training events by 2027.

The announcement has already impacted the market, with shares of U.S. drone manufacturers like AeroVironment and Kratos Defense & Security Solutions surging following the news. This initiative builds upon a June 6 White House executive order focused on normalizing drone operations and investing in production. Hegseth stated, "Our adversaries have a head start in small UAS, but we will perform a technological leapfrog and establish small UAS domain dominance by the end of 2027."