US-Mexico drone agreement: what Sedena actually signed
Mexico and the United States signed a non-binding declaration of intent on 11 August 2026, pre-clearing Sedena to shop on a Pentagon-run online marketplace for drones and counter-drone gear. No models, no quantities, no price — and nothing has been bought. The post US-Mexico drone agreement: what Sedena actually signed appeared first on The Rio Times .
On 11 August 2026, the Mexican Defense Ministry (Sedena) signed a "Statement of Intent" with the United States Army, signaling a potential pathway for Mexico to procure military drones and counter-drone gear from a Pentagon-run online marketplace. This document, a "Declaración de Intención," is a non-binding agreement that does not commit either side to buying any equipment.
The signing ceremony took place in Mexico City, with Mexico's Army commander General de División Héctor Ávila Alcocer and US Secretary of the Army Daniel Patrick Driscoll presiding. The statement does not specify any models, quantities, prices, or delivery schedules, as no purchase has been made. The US Army and a Pentagon task force manage online catalogues where vetted American firms offer drones and counter-drone systems.
The US Ambassador to Mexico, Ronald Johnson, stated that the agreement would enhance "strategic and operational capabilities through defense innovation and new technologies." The marketplace, operated by JIATF-401, opened to allied countries in 2026. To date, the platform has seen over $40 million in sales, with Kaizen securing a $15 million contract to build out the counter-drone catalogue in early August.
However, Mexico is not yet a signatory, and no specific models or delivery schedules have been set. This agreement comes amid a surge in drone use by organized crime in Mexico, with 234 drones seized between 2019 and June 2026, the majority by Sinaloa, Michoacán, and Tamaulipas. President Claudia Sheinbaum, while endorsing the deal, emphasized the importance of sovereignty and rejected the idea of US troops being deployed within Mexican territory.
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