<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Secretary of War Pete Hegseth signed a new drone-related memorandum on October 2, 2026, aimed at reducing bureaucratic delays in deploying new weapons systems.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The memorandum, titled “Accelerating Employment of Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems to Protect American Airspace Sovereignty,” was signed on Monday but released to the public on Friday. It builds on previous memos related to drone policies and plans.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">In the memo, Hegseth stated, “As we continue our quest for Drone Dominance with the world’s most lethal unmanned attack platforms, we also must defend the homeland from illicit drone use. Our adversaries are fielding unmanned systems at scale, at speed, and at low cost. They are using them to surveil, disrupt, and attack. We will not answer a fast-moving threat with a slow-moving bureaucracy.” He referred to drones as “the defining threat of our time.”</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The memorandum directs the department to “accept prudent risks,” while emphasizing the importance of not cutting corners on legal and safety standards.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">One of the key objectives of the memo is to eliminate redundancies in the review process. It states that no service will repeat a weapons safety review for the same system unless a material change creates a new risk, and that assessments of common systems must document specific risks that prevent reliance on existing approvals.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The memo also aims to ensure that commanders have the necessary approval authorities to respond to incoming threats, noting that “in many cases, the great risk is doing nothing.” If a request to use a counter-drone system is denied, the official must provide an explanation to Joint Interagency Task Force 401, which oversees the counter-drone defense efforts.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Senior military officials have indicated that there is no single system or weapon that can comprehensively defend against drones. Instead, a multilayered approach is required, which may include physical interception, electronic warfare, and high-powered lasers.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The proliferation of inexpensive drones has made them accessible to non-state actors and smaller militaries. These drones can target more expensive military assets. There have been multiple instances of unauthorized drones flying near domestic military bases.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">U.S. bases in the Middle East have experienced damage from Iranian drone and missile attacks. In September, acting U.S. Navy Secretary Hung Cao acknowledged significant damage to Naval Support Activity Bahrain due to such attacks.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Adm. Daryl Caudle, Chief of Naval Operations, recently discussed the future of the fleet, indicating a vision where many vessels would be equipped with high-powered lasers to defend against aerial threats. He noted that while lasers cannot fully replace traditional air defense systems, they can reduce the reliance on costly munitions.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">On the southern border, U.S. troops have begun using high-powered lasers to intercept drones operated by Mexican cartels.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Additionally, during his “State of the Force” address at Marine Base Quantico, Hegseth announced plans to collaborate with Congress on establishing a new 4-star combatant command called Autonomous Warfare Command (AutoWarCom).</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Project Agincourt will transition the department’s drone initiatives until the combatant command is established, with a deadline set for October 1, 2027. The project will be led by Owen West and Navy SEAL Senior Chief Max Strasiser.</p>