{
  "id": 8689041,
  "title": "Half the drones in a recent US Army combat exercise were designed to be expendable",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/20/half-the-drones-in-a-recent-us-army-combat-exercise-were-designed-to",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-20T12:47:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Business Insider",
    "slug": "business-insider",
    "url": "https://www.businessinsider.com/half-of-drones-at-us-army-exercise-were-expendable-2026-9"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The US Army has been utilizing a significant number of drones in recent combat exercises, with roughly half of the drones deployed being designed for expendability. At a recent exercise in Germany, approximately 2,000 drones were used, with 1,000 of them being consumable and treated akin to ammunition. This shift towards using low-cost drones stems from the realization that having a large quantity of these systems is more beneficial than possessing a smaller number of high-end aerial systems. The US Army's Drone Dominance Program aims to procure tens of thousands of these drones, with the goal of equipping soldiers at every squad level, ensuring they have a reliable and cost-effective weapon for engaging enemy targets.",
  "summary": "Army leaders have said that only a few drones present soldiers with a niche capability, while having more increases combat power.",
  "key_points": [
    "Half of the 2,000 drones in recent US Army exercise were expendable",
    "Drones treated like ammunition, consumed in combat",
    "Drone Dominance Program aims for tens of thousands of drones"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": "https://urgent.news/ill/8689041.png",
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Indian Express - India",
        "title": "AASHVAST: 6 high tech Army labs to to weed out foreign bugs from drones, CCTV cameras",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/20/aashvast-6-high-tech-army-labs-to-to-weed-out-foreign-bugs-from",
        "published": "2026-09-20T16:07:13.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Punch Nigeria",
        "title": "Amnesty report on Maiduguri barracks deaths from 2016, not recent — Army",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/20/amnesty-report-on-maiduguri-barracks-deaths-from-2016-not-recent-army",
        "published": "2026-09-20T19:40:43.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}