Pentagon jumps from $225M to $55B on drones as cheap attacks overwhelm US defenses

The Pentagon is requesting a massive $55 billion for drone and autonomous warfare programs in FY2027, a sharp increase from $225 million in FY2026, driven by the growing threat of cheap, AI-enabled drones overwhelming U.S. defenses in conflicts like Ukraine and the Middle East. The shift reflects a strategic pivot toward large-scale, coordinated drone swarms to counter and deploy low-cost systems.