Overview
- DOGE has solicited specifications from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and the Defense Innovation Unit to compile a catalog of approved small drones.
- A report from the DOGE team is expected to go to an Office of the Secretary of Defense executive committee as soon as next week, according to Reuters.
- The near-term target is to buy at least 30,000 low-cost drones in the coming months, with firms such as Skydio, Red Cat, PDW and Neros positioned to benefit.
- The initiative follows Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s July directive to cut procurement red tape and prepare units for drone-centric warfare informed by Ukraine.
- The relationship between the DOGE-led effort and the Pentagon’s earlier Replicator program remains unresolved.