EXCLUSIVEFORSUBSCRIBERSInside the Pentagon’s unusual $1.1 billion competition to buy 300,000 dronesSeeing the threat of Chinese components and the expansion of drone warfare, the Pentagon is pushing to catch up. The Pentagon has launched a competition series to determine which drones the military purchases.NBC News; U.S. Army; Getty ImagesMay 27, 2026, 11:59 AM EDTDETROIT — Military drone pilots tinkered with controllers and quadcopters before the machines took off with a high-pitched buzz on a one-way mission. Operators navigated the drones through abandoned buildings and pine forests until they slammed into their target: a mannequin in military garb. The competition in Fort Benning, Georgia, had a single purpose — to help the Pentagon buy explosive drones.Just a moment.We are getting your experience ready.
Inside the Pentagon’s unusual $1.1 billion competition to buy 300,000 drones
Seeing the threat of Chinese components and the expansion of drone warfare, the Pentagon is pushing to catch up.
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