25 Manufacturers to Compete in Pentagon’s $150M Drone Dominance ‘Gauntlet’

DOD selects participants for upcoming series of uncrewed aircraft system evaluations by military operators.

Jack Daleo

Wednesday, February 04, 2026 at 02:00 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

Marine Corps Corporal Calvin Burke activates a small drone to survey the defensive line for opposing forces during a simulated assault and seizure at Glen Airfield (YGEN) in Queensland, Australia, in July 2025. [Credit: Marine Corps Lance Corporal Victor Gurrola]

Key Takeaways:

The Pentagon's $1.1 billion Drone Dominance program is launching, with 25 manufacturers competing in Phase I for $150 million in initial orders for low-cost attack drones.
The program aims to deliver 340,000 small, one-way attack drones to military units by 2027 to address a critical battlefield need and counter adversaries' production.
Key strategies include streamlining procurement, delegating authority to warfighters, conducting rapid evaluation "gauntlets," and fostering the domestic drone industry to drive down costs and improve production.

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Twenty-five manufacturers of small, low-cost uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) will compete next month for about $150 million in orders from the Pentagon.

The Department of Defense on Tuesday announced the participants for Phase I of its Drone Dominance program, under which it plans to order 30,000 one-way attack drones at about $5,000 per unit. By the time the multiphase, $1.1 billion effort wraps up in 2027, the Pentagon aims to deliver about 340,000 small drones to military combat units, driving down costs as the effort progresses.