New Hegseth counter-drone homeland security memo says ‘accept prudent risks’ but don’t ‘cut corners’

Published October 2, 2026 5:18pm ET



Secretary of War Pete Hegseth signed a new drone-related memorandum this week designed to further cut down on long-standing bureaucracies that slow down the process of fielding new weapons systems.

Hegseth signed the “Accelerating Employment of Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems to Protect American Airspace Sovereignty” memorandum on Monday, though the department did not release it until Friday. It builds on several others he has signed during his tenure related to the department’s policies and plans for drones.

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