An impressive number. The Pentagon received over 25,000 drones in a year

Established by the current Secretary of War, the office focuses on acquiring low-cost, mass-produced systems and anti-drone solutions. This is a novel approach because, as is well known, the United States has never struggled with expensive, high-capability solutions. The challenge, however, was adopting measures that ensure battlefield saturation and protection against such threats.

The purchased off-the-shelf systems have been delivered to US Central Command (CENTCOM).

According to the information provided, 782 million USD (approx. €740 million) has been spent on these measures during this year, and the following have been purchased:

• over 1,300 heavy long-range one-way attack (OWA) UAVs;
• over 100 surface and underwater unmanned vehicles – both reconnaissance and strike versions;
• over 24,000 interceptor drones forming a "dense multi-layered shield" to protect frontline forces.

These latter solutions are utilised by JIATF-401 (Joint Interagency Task Force 401), a task force specifically established in 2025 to combat drone threats.

The announcement regarding the successful implementation of new equipment classes likely appeared on the Department of War website now, following the Republicans’ defeat in the midterm elections, not by coincidence. It is also full of praise for the primary initiator of these purchases, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. The latter is reportedly being blamed for the Trumpists’ electoral defeat, which in turn is said to stem from the failure of operations against Iran.

The US plans to establish total superiority in the drone domain

Regardless of whether this is true or not, the implementation of ready-made solutions resulting from the experiences of the war in Ukraine and the Persian Gulf seems like a sensible step for the US. The scale of these deployments demonstrates the immense potential at the disposal of the modern Pentagon, especially as, according to the statement, this is only the beginning, and the acquisition of such solutions will increase in the coming years.

The Department of War claims that, irrespective of the combat experiences of various nations, the US will ensure its total superiority over others in the „drone domain”.