- DOW has accepted its first batch of UAS under the Drone Dominance Program
- Gauntlet Phase II qualifiers tested 79 unique drones at Camp Grayling in Michigan
- Gauntlet II will expand later this summer with 120 drones per entrant
The Department of War has accepted the first batch of unmanned aerial systems under the Drone Dominance Program and shipped nearly 2,000 additional units to military services.
As DOW advances the Drone Dominance Program and prepares for Gauntlet II, military leaders and industry executives continue to explore the technologies shaping the future of air and space operations. The Potomac Officers Club’s 2026 Air and Space Summit on July 30 will bring together government and industry stakeholders to discuss interoperable optical networks, commercial space relay, AI and other emerging capabilities. Sign up now!
What Happened During Gauntlet Phase II Qualifiers?
The Defense Innovation Unit said Wednesday the program’s Gauntlet Phase II qualifiers concluded at Camp Grayling in Michigan, where 49 companies evaluated 79 unique UAS in mission scenarios that included close-quarters tactical assaults and long-range strikes. Each participant fielded 20 drones during the event.
The qualifier marked the next step in the Drone Dominance Program following Phase I, during which DOW purchased 30,000 drones.
According to DIU, Gauntlet II will begin later this summer and expand testing to include night operations and more complex urban and confined environments. Companies will be required to bring 120 drones for the event.
What Is the Drone Dominance Program?
The Drone Dominance Program is a two-year, $1.1 billion initiative aimed at implementing an executive order to accelerate the procurement, integration and training with low-cost drones produced in the U.S. The effort uses a challenge-based acquisition model that evaluates technologies through four gauntlet phases and aims to deploy more than 200,000 artificial intelligence-enabled drones by 2027.
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, a 2026 Wash100 awardee, announced the program in December.
In late May, DOW invited 49 companies to participate in the initiative’s Phase 2 qualifier three months after selecting 25 vendors to compete in the program’s initial phase.
DIU said the program aims to scale procurement from 30,000 drones to 150,000 units per phase while reducing target unit costs from $5,000 to approximately $3,000.
What Did DIU Officials Say About the Drone Dominance Program?
DIU Director Owen West, a 2026 Wash100 awardee, said the department is moving quickly to develop new drone capabilities in response to growing unmanned aerial system threats.
“Our adversaries are scaling their UAS technology, tactics and industries at an alarming rate,” West said. “Following Secretary of War [Pete] Hegseth’s orders, we are acting decisively to develop new defensive and offensive capabilities to match these threats,”
Travis Metz, deputy director of DIU, said DOW has begun fielding drones acquired through the program and is planning additional purchases.
“We have ordered 30,000, which are being delivered now and will be ordering 60,000 more in September, all based on competitive events and moving supply chains to the United States as we progress,” Metz noted.
