World War III brewing? At Trump’s command, Hegseth orders Pentagon to act fast — massive drone surge begins

At Donald Trump’s direction, the Pentagon is launching a fast-tracked drone initiative unlike anything seen before. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has lifted long-standing restrictions and told people to make, test, and deploy drones faster. The goal is to beat China and Russia in the drone arms race.

What changes did Pete Hegseth make to drone policy?

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has told the Pentagon to speed up the development of drones at Trump's request. In order to expedite drone production and deployment, Defense Secretary has issued broad new directives that mandate drone combat simulations in all branches of the military and permit commanders to independently acquire and test drones.


His order cuts down on red tape, lets field commanders test and use drones on their own, and makes unmanned systems the most important thing for all branches of the military. It's a risky move to try to get back on top in modern warfare before 2027.

According to Hegseth, "the Department’s bureaucratic gloves are coming off," as part of a vigorous effort to surpass China and Russia in unmanned warfare. "Lethality will not be hindered by self-imposed restrictions... Our major risk is risk-avoidance."

Hegseth revoked legacy policies that he felt hindered innovation in two memos that Fox News Digital was the first to obtain. For the first time, colonel or captain-level commanders have the authority to independently acquire and test drones, including commercial off-the-shelf systems and 3D-printed prototypes, provided they satisfy national security requirements.

Why is the U.S. racing to catch up?

They are permitted to test non-lethal autonomous UAS in controlled environments and can immediately operate and train with drones, avoiding the usual approval bottlenecks.

"Small UAS are such critical force enablers that they must be prioritized at the same level as major weapons systems."

With the FAA's help, commanders are to "remove inappropriate range restrictions, fast-track and expand spectrum approval, and establish a variety of UAS training areas that include live fire, combined arms, and swarm testing."

How will this shift reshape the military?

Within ninety days, three new UAS national test sites must be established, and training ranges will be extended. Weapons Boards are now required to reply to requests for drone arming within 30 days, and battery certifications must be completed within a week, which will expedite the long-standing process of weaponization.

According to Hegseth, the United States will achieve domain dominance by the end of 2027, despite the fact that its enemies have a "head start" in the field of small UAS.

The investment strategies described in Trump's Unleashing American Drone Dominance executive order are being looked into, Hegseth stated.

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The Pentagon will now create a digital platform called the "dynamic, AI-searchable Blue List," which will list authorized drone parts, suppliers, and performance evaluations. The Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) will operate this system by 2026, using data from AI retraining pipelines that run every night.

Within 30 days, the Pentagon will look for direct loans, advance purchase commitments, and other capital incentives to help launch the drone industry. The action is taken at a time when the Middle East and Ukraine have demonstrated the deadly potential of contemporary drone warfare.

Drones have revolutionized modern warfare since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Both Russian and Ukrainian forces use unmanned aerial systems (UAS) to collect real-time intelligence and change tactics on the battlefield.

FAQs

What order did Donald Trump issue regarding military drones?
He ordered an aggressive overhaul to accelerate drone deployment and outpace US adversaries.

Can commanders now test drones without going through the Pentagon's red tape?
Yes. Field commanders can now test, train, and deploy drones without waiting for top-level approval.