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

The Pentagon is requesting a $55 billion budget for drone and autonomous warfare programs in FY2027, a significant increase from $225 million in FY2026, driven by the need to counter cheap drone swarms overwhelming U.S. defenses in conflicts like those in the Middle East and Ukraine. The shift reflects a strategic move toward large numbers of lower-cost, AI-enabled systems.