Pentagon seeks $70B for drones in FY2027 budget

The U.S. Department of Defense has submitted a fiscal year 2027 budget request seeking $70 billion for military drone systems and counter-drone technologies, marking a massive 300% increase from FY2026 allocations. The request includes $53.6 billion for autonomy and drone platforms and $21 billion for munitions and counter-drone systems, with the budget for the Defense Autonomous Warfare Group surging from $225.9 million to $54.6 billion. Pentagon officials say the investment reflects operational lessons from conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, where drone-on-drone warfare and swarm tactics are evolving rapidly. The focus is on accelerating manned-unmanned teaming and integrating commercial drone technologies at scale for future combat operations.