Realizing America’s Drone Revolution

Two years ago, I represented the Marine Corps Warfighting Lab at the Defense Innovation Unit summit in Warsaw. A Ukrainian commander there poked me in the chest and said, “Stop sending us your American drones. They’re shit. They don’t work on the modern battlefield.” He wasn’t talking about some baby start-up. He was talking about one of America’s top drone manufacturers — a well-known brand in the halls of the Pentagon with a long-standing program of record, a spot on the “blue list,” retired generals on its advisory board, and a bank account packed with hundreds of millions from venture The post Realizing America’s Drone Revolution appeared first on War on the Rocks.

May 12, 2025 - 09:55
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Realizing America’s Drone Revolution

Two years ago, I represented the Marine Corps Warfighting Lab at the Defense Innovation Unit summit in Warsaw. A Ukrainian commander there poked me in the chest and said, “Stop sending us your American drones. They’re shit. They don’t work on the modern battlefield.” He wasn’t talking about some baby start-up. He was talking about one of America’s top drone manufacturers — a well-known brand in the halls of the Pentagon with a long-standing program of record, a spot on the “blue list,” retired generals on its advisory board, and a bank account packed with hundreds of millions from venture

The post Realizing America’s Drone Revolution appeared first on War on the Rocks.