The Pentagon's Gauntlet will put 25 attack drone makers to the test, including some from Ukraine

"Over two dozen companies, including two from Ukraine, have been selectedto build and test their small one-way attack drone prototypes for the first phase of a new Pentagon program focused on drone dominance. The evaluation, Gauntlet, begins later this month at Fort Benning in Georgia, where military personnel will fly the designs, putting them to the test to inform purchasing decisions. When the testing concludes in March, the department will put in roughly $150 million in prototype delivery orders."

"The Pentagon aims to ultimately, by 2027, field hundreds of thousands of low-cost, one-way attack drones. The Pentagon released the list of 25 companies involved on Tuesday. It includes a lot of start-ups like Performance Drone Works LLC, which was an offshoot of the Drone Racing League, as well as vendors like Kratos SRE Inc., a subsidiary of the larger Kratos Defense."

Twenty-five companies were selected to build and test small one-way attack drone prototypes for the Pentagon's first-phase program. The Gauntlet evaluation will take place later this month at Fort Benning, Georgia, where military personnel will fly and assess designs; testing concludes in March and the department plans roughly $150 million in prototype delivery orders. The Pentagon aims to field hundreds of thousands of low-cost, one-way attack drones by 2027. Selected vendors include startups such as Performance Drone Works LLC and established firms like Kratos SRE Inc. Two Ukrainian developers—Ukrainian Defense Drone Tech Corp and General Cherry Corp—are competing, with General Cherry supplying drones across 40 brigades and developing the AIR Pro interceptor.

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