Pentagon intends to catch up with Russia and China in field of UAVs

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has issued new large—scale orders to accelerate the production and deployment of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in order to stay ahead of the world leaders in this market - Russia and China, according to Fox News, Report informs via Izvestia.

"Hegset has reversed an outdated policy that <...> limited innovation. For the first time, the commanders <... They can independently purchase and test UAVs, including 3D-printed prototypes and ready—made commercial systems," the publication says.

It is noted that UAVs should become the main part of the US defense and be considered expendable.

"They should be cheap, quickly replaceable and classified as consumables," one of the instructions to the Pentagon says.

Hegseth emphasized the importance of drones.

"Small unmanned aerial vehicles are such important military assets that they should be prioritized at the same level as major weapons systems," the US Secretary of Defense says.

On his instructions, restrictions on the range and speed of action should be eliminated, as well as training grounds for military operators should be increased.

Earlier, on July 4, it was announced that the United States should invest more actively in the development of inexpensive unilateral short-range unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), which often act more effectively in modern military conflicts than more powerful and expensive systems. Otherwise, America may lose its ability to win on the battlefield.