Overview

• The US Army announced a strategic pivot, moving tanks to reserve roles while prioritizing uncrewed systems and counter-drone technologies.
• Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll highlighted the unsustainable cost imbalance of multimillion-dollar tanks being destroyed by drones costing under $1,000.
• Open-source intelligence reports reveal thousands of tank losses in Ukraine, many attributed to inexpensive explosive drones.
• Russia's reported production of up to 1.5 million drones in the last year underscores the growing global proliferation of low-cost drone warfare.
• Future US military tactics may replace tank-led assaults with drone swarms and autonomous systems to address evolving battlefield dynamics.