The United States has announced its intention to significantly strengthen the direction of unmanned systems in its defense strategy. US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth emphasized during a briefing that the budget of the Donald Trump administration for 2027 allocates $56 billion to ensure an advantage in unmanned technology.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Ukraine’s experience shapes US strategy
According to Hegseth, the American military is actively utilizing the experience gained by Ukraine on the battlefield. An important factor that is noted in the US is not only the availability of modern drones but also the ability to quickly scale and adapt these systems according to changing situations.
“We continue to learn from Ukraine’s experience on the battlefield; it’s not about having sophisticated systems, but about the ability to scale them quickly, adapting week by week,” he said.
The Pentagon chief stressed that the future of the US defense industry is linked to the development of highly effective autonomous unmanned systems. He noted that America aims not only to achieve parity but also to become a world leader in this area:
“We have learned so much from Ukraine and how they operate. So this is the absolute focus of where we are headed. We intend not only to be on par but to be the best in the world at this.”
Support for Ukraine and changes in ammunition production
Pete Hegseth also addressed the issue regarding Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s request for the United States to provide additional missiles for air defense. He stated that the US is reviewing its approaches to the production of key munitions to ensure larger supply volumes.
The official emphasized the increase in defense commitments from European countries, which have recently intensified their support for Ukraine. In his opinion, Europe is demonstrating a willingness to invest in strengthening defense capabilities, and Ukraine remains one of the most effective countries in this process.
Hegseth noted that the US will continue to seek ways to support Ukraine and encourage Europe to enhance its assistance:
“Where we can help Ukraine, we do so; where we can enable Europe to do more, we do that, and I am encouraged by the European willingness to take on commitments. If you look at the amount of money spent, Europe has stepped up, and Ukraine is just as effective, if not more so, in this process. So we want them to be able to defend themselves, and we will find a way to provide them with assistance in this,” Hegseth added.
Recall that earlier, the President of Ukraine addressed the US leadership and Congress with a letter emphasizing the growing deficit of air defense systems to intercept missiles, especially in the context of threats from the Russian Federation. According to media reports, the letter states that “in terms of protection against ballistic missiles, we rely almost exclusively on the United States,” referring to PAC-3 missiles for Patriot systems.