Pentagon wants $54B for drones, more than most nations’ military budgets
Summary
Ars Technica reports that the Pentagon's FY2027 budget request prioritizes drone warfare and autonomous systems, with $53.6B for drones under the DAWG and $20.6B for one-way attack drones and CCA. The plan targets rapid procurement and deployment of existing technologies, including counter-drone defenses and the MQ-25 Stingray, amid a broader US-China tech competition. The article situates these spending decisions within the evolving drone battlefield and the rise of AI-enabled unmanned systems, including drone swarms and Iranian Shahed drones.