Pentagon Races To Train Marines On Low-Cost Attack Drones
The 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit is taking a three-week course to fly small first-person-view attack drones at Camp Lejeune, the New York Times reported May 10, 2026.[1]
The three-week program is meant to rapidly qualify Marines to fly small quadcopters carrying warheads, Navy and Marine leaders said.[1] The Pentagon aims to field tens of thousands of FPV systems by the end of 2026.[1]
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered combat units last year to train on and deploy small lethal drones.[1] Marine leaders say the push will give units their first organic attack-drone capability and that they are working to certify hundreds of pilots so every unit can have FPV assets.[1]
Officials acknowledge the United States still trails China and Russia in sheer production, which can reach millions of FPV drones annually, but they say training and sustainment are the immediate bottlenecks.[1]
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📌 Key Facts
- The New York Times observed the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit training on first-person-view attack drones at Camp Lejeune in a report published May 10, 2026.
- The training course lasts about three weeks and is meant to rapidly qualify Marines to fly small quadcopter drones carrying warheads.
- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered combat units last year to train on and deploy small lethal drones, and the Pentagon aims to field tens of thousands of FPV systems by the end of 2026.
- Marine leaders say this is the first time Marine units will have organic attack-drone capabilities and are working to certify hundreds of pilots so every unit has FPV assets.
- Officials concede the U.S. lags China and Russia, which can produce millions of FPV drones annually, but say training and sustainment are the immediate bottlenecks.
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