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Unmanned Systems

Trump Directive Wants Review Of Programs That Could Be Replaced By Drones

By Cal Biesecker

Friday, June 6th, 2025

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Trump Directive Wants Review Of Programs That Could Be Replaced By Drones

President Donald Trump addresses the audience after the inaugural parade during the 60th Presidential Inauguration at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., Jan. 20, 2025. (DoD photo by Staff Sgt. Danny Gonzalez)

President Trump last Friday directed the Defense Department to conduct a review of programs that could be replaced by drones. Within 90 days, the service secretaries are required to report on and “identify programs that would be more cost efficient or lethal if replaced by UAS,” says the new executive order. The directive seems to stem from ongoing lessons learned in Ukraine's battle against Russia's illegal invasion of that country where small and medium-sized drones are used regularly to surveil…

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