United States | Against expensive excellence

The US Army needs inferior, cheaper drones to compete

It seems obvious. So what is stopping it from happening?

Photograph: U.S. Army photo

IN UKRAINE BOTH sides are deploying millions of low-cost drones, which play a role in combat as both scouts and as weapons. The US Army, long considered a leader in this field, has been following events in Ukraine closely. But the Pentagon is only acquiring small numbers of drones at high cost. Why are American drones so expensive, and can prices be brought down?

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