The US Army needs less good, cheaper drones to compete
It seems obvious. So what is stopping it from happening?
IN UKRAINE BOTH sides are deploying millions of low-cost drones, which play a role in combat as both scouts and weapons. The US Army, long considered a leader in this field, has been following events in Ukraine closely. But the Pentagon is acquiring only small numbers of drones at high cost. Why are American drones so expensive, and can prices be brought down?
Explore more
This article appeared in the United States section of the print edition under the headline “Against expensive excellence”
United States January 11th 2025
- Los Angeles against the flames
- America’s bet on industrial policy starts to pay off for semiconductors
- Mike Johnson has his old job back, for now
- When treating snakebites, American hospitals turn to zoos
- Most Americans think moderate drinking is fine
- The US Army needs less good, cheaper drones to compete
More from United States
A protest against America’s TikTok ban is mired in contradiction
Another Chinese app is not the alternative some young Americans think it is
How Joe Biden wound up serving Donald Trump
In some ways, his administration will look less like an interregnum than like MAGA-lite
How bad will the smoke be for Angelenos’ health?
Expect more sickness and disrupted schooling
Should you have to prove your age before watching porn?
America’s Supreme Court weighs a Texan law aimed at protecting kids
Tulsi Gabbard, Sean Penn and the hunt for an American hostage
A controversial trip to Syria in 2017 produced a possible sighting of Austin Tice, an imprisoned journalist
How flush Americans feel depends on their views of Donald Trump
Republicans expect a Trumponomics boom, Democrats dread a bust