US budget earmarks record funding for drones and counter-drone systems

A $1.5 trillion US defence budget proposal includes nearly $54bn for military drones and related technology, along with $21bn for systems designed to counter them.

Pentagon officials said drones and unmanned systems have become central to modern warfare, including in the US-Israeli war on Iran.

“Drone warfare is rapidly reshaping the modern battlefield,” acting undersecretary of defence Jules Hurst III said during a briefing.

He added that the proposal represents the largest investment in drone and counter-drone capabilities in US history.