Hegseth unleashes drone war surge amid warning 'what we saw in Russia will play out here'

Pete Hegseth is spearheading a major overhaul of the US military's drone programme, warning that America's adversaries have stolen a march in the technology race, reports The Telegraph.

The US Defence Secretary declared that the Pentagon's "bureaucratic gloves are coming off" as he ordered drone development to be fast-tracked across all branches of the armed forces.

According to internal memos obtained by Fox News, commanders will now be empowered to procure and test drones independently - including 3D-printed prototypes - without seeking prior approval from Washington.

Drones have become a dominant force in modern warfare, with low-cost models now used in everything from surveillance and bombing campaigns to targeted assassinations. Hegseth's orders included the creation of new training zones for live fire, combined arms, and swarm testing, while range restrictions deemed inappropriate are to be scrapped.

Three new drone test sites are expected to be established within 90 days as part of the acceleration plan.

The Defence Secretary warned that countries like Iran and Russia already had a "head start" in the race to weaponise drone technology, but predicted the US would take the lead within two years.

"These are critical force enablers that... must be prioritised at the same level as major weapons systems," Hegseth said. "Lethality will not be hindered by self-imposed restrictions... Our major risk is risk-avoidance."

From next year, drones will be fully integrated into combat training across the board, including full-force drone-on-drone battle simulations.

Earlier this year, Donald Trump signed an executive order titled "Unleashing American Drone Dominance," insisting the US must ramp up its adoption of drone warfare to stay ahead of its rivals.

Meanwhile, the Pentagon is working to bolster defences at domestic military installations amid growing fears of a drone strike on home soil.

The urgency follows high-profile operations showcasing the devastating effectiveness of drone warfare. In June, Ukraine's Operation Spider's Web saw drones smuggled into Russia and used to destroy nearly a third of Moscow's strategic bomber fleet in just hours.

A month later, Israeli drones were deployed in a targeted strike on Iranian nuclear facilities, adding further pressure on the US to respond.

American defence firms have already lobbied for a slice of Pentagon funding under the so-called "Golden Dome" programme, aimed at countering drone threats. This includes technologies such as high-powered microwaves, capable of neutralising entire swarms of drones, already tested in the Pacific and the Middle East.

"What we saw in Russia will play out here," warned Andy Lowery, CEO of Epirus, the firm behind the microwave system. "Operation Spider's Web should be a real wake-up call to us, to the whole world, that this is very, very serious."

Separately, Donald Trump is also reportedly preparing to authorise up to $300 million worth of weapons from US stockpiles to be sent to Ukraine under the presidential drawdown authority, as Russia's assault on Ukrainian cities intensifies.