<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Secretary of War Pete Hegseth stated that the Department of War plans to field "hundreds of thousands" of one-way attack systems in 2026, claiming that the second Trump administration inherited no such programs from the Biden administration.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Hegseth made his remarks during the Association of the United States Army annual convention in Washington, D.C., at the "Project Agincourt: Autonomous Warfare Panel." He asserted that the second Trump administration deserves credit for advancements in one-way attack systems and claimed that the Biden administration had neglected this technology.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">"When we showed up, there was not a single one-way attack program at the Department of War. Not one," Hegseth said.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">He added, "Ultimately, we will be fielding hundreds of thousands of one-way attack systems this year, and into the millions in years to come, at a pace that this department has never ever seen before."</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The U.S. awarded its first one-way attack system contract in 2011 to AeroVironment, which developed the Switchblade drone. This weapon was first deployed to soldiers in Afghanistan in late 2012.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Hegseth was likely referring to medium- and long-range one-way attack systems similar to Iranian Shahed drones, which have been effective in Ukraine after being adopted by Russia. The Biden administration's Department of Defense launched the Replicator Initiative on August 28, 2023, aiming to field thousands of uncrewed one-way attack systems by August 2025. Although not directly linked to the Replicator Initiative, the U.S. unveiled the Low-Cost Uncrewed Combat Attack System in July 2025, though not in the quantities originally targeted by the initiative.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Hegseth's claim that the U.S. would field "hundreds of thousands" this year is unclear based on public data. The Pentagon's Drone Dominance Program, announced late last year, aims to produce 300,000 one-way attack drones over several years, rather than specifically in 2026. Military.com reported that early production targets aim for 30,000 drones delivered by July 2026 and over 200,000 by 2027. The Pentagon issued its first order for 30,000 drones in March, raising questions about whether production could reach hundreds of thousands by the end of the year.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The LUCAS saw its first combat deployment during Operation Epic Fury in Iran, primarily in a supporting role.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">During the panel, several protesters interrupted Hegseth's speech. They called him derogatory names and referenced issues in Gaza and Iran to justify their actions. Hegseth described the interruptions as "semi-coordinated." Each protester was quickly removed from the venue.</p>