The U.S. Defense Department is seeking a major expansion in autonomous warfare capabilities, with a proposed $54 billion investment focused on drones and unmanned systems. Pentagon officials say the effort is designed to prepare for future conflicts while reducing operational costs and limiting battlefield casualties.
The initiative comes as military planners increasingly point to lessons from the war in Ukraine and rising tensions around Taiwan. According to former assistant secretary of defense Bing West, the Pentagon sees low-cost drones and artificial intelligence as central components of future military strategy.
The proposal is being led by the Defense Autonomous Warfare Group (DAWG), which is overseen by Deputy Defense Secretary Stephen Feinberg. The group has requested roughly $54 billion after receiving nearly $226 million during the current fiscal year. According to West, the program reflects one of the most significant shifts in U.S. weapons procurement since the beginning of the ballistic missile era in the 1940s.
Pentagon Seeks Lower-Cost Drone Production at Scale
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth testified in June 2025 that the Pentagon had already purchased “multiple thousands of unmanned systems” and intended to acquire thousands more. The effort follows growing concern over the high costs tied to existing military drone programs.
According to the report, Ukraine has produced millions of low-cost drones during its war with Russia, with some units costing as little as $300 while still being capable of destroying armored vehicles and warships. At the same time, one self-detonating drone pursued by the Pentagon was estimated to exceed $100,000 per unit.
The Pentagon’s procurement system has also faced criticism over rising prices. West noted that the MQ-9 Reaper drone increased in cost from $14 million in 2008 to $32 million in more recent years.
To address those concerns, the Defense Department launched the Drone Dominance Program, a $1.1 billion initiative structured around competition among private companies rather than traditional defense contracts. Twenty-five drone vendors were selected and invited to Fort Benning, Georgia, in February, where military operators tested and evaluated their systems under battlefield conditions.
Winning companies are expected to receive purchase orders for 30,000 one-way attack drones priced at $5,000 each. According to reports, later phases of the program aim to reduce costs below $2,000 per unit while ultimately producing more than 340,000 drones. Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said autonomous weapons are expected to become a standard part of military operations. “We have to really normalize this and become early adopters,” Caine said.
Taiwan Tensions and Naval Strategy Drive Urgency
The Pentagon’s focus on autonomous systems is also tied to growing concerns over a possible conflict involving Taiwan. During President Donald Trump’s recent visit to Beijing, Chinese PresidentXi Jinping warned about potential disputes related to Taiwan.
Military planners are particularly focused on the Taiwan Strait, a shipping corridor carrying approximately $2.5 trillion in goods and commodities. West wrote that the U.S. fears China could attempt to block the strait during a regional conflict.
According to The Washington Post, current naval warfare presents a difficult financial imbalance for the United States. China can launch large numbers of relatively inexpensive missiles, while U.S. naval forces may need to use interceptors costing millions of dollars each to stop them.
According to West, Pentagon officials believe unmanned vessels carrying large numbers of AI-assisted drones could alter that balance. The proposed strategy would rely on drone swarms targeting Chinese warships while U.S. surface fleets operate farther from direct engagement zones.
The report also noted that American attack submarines and unmanned vessels would contribute additional firepower while reducing risks to sailors. West wrote that the broader question now is whether Congress will support the investment needed to expand autonomous warfare capabilities on a large scale.
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