Vector Defense Expands Drone Production Amid U.S. Military Demand for Expendable UAVs
- Published
- Source
- military.com
Vector Defense Inc., based in Bluffdale, Utah, is ramping up production of small military quadcopters after securing a Pentagon contract in September. The company aims to increase output from a few hundred to thousands of drones monthly, as the U.S. military seeks to close a significant drone gap against competitors like China and Russia.
The Pentagon's Drone Dominance program, launched by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, has committed approximately $1.1 billion to enhance U.S. drone manufacturing capabilities. The program aims to purchase around 250,000 drones by the end of 2027, addressing the urgent need for affordable, expendable UAVs in modern warfare.
Vector Defense's CEO Andy Yakulis emphasizes the importance of volume in production, likening drones to ammunition. Despite the ambitious goals, U.S. manufacturers face challenges in scaling operations to meet future demands, especially as competitors like Russia and Ukraine ramp up their drone production significantly. No further timeline was disclosed at the time of publication.
Original report
US Starts at ‘Basically Zero’ in Building Cheap Military Drones
military.com · MLT StaffThis briefing is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting and is provided for industry information and news discovery. The original report and source publication are credited and linked where applicable. RobotToday does not claim ownership of third-party source material.
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