U.S. Drone Program Awards Top Slots to American Firms as Ukrainian Makers Miss the Cut
The U.S. Department of War’s $1.1 billion Drone Dominance Program awarded top slots in its Gauntlet II evaluation to American firms, with Perennial Autonomy winning the deep-strike category and Neros Technologies leading close-quarters combat. Ukrainian drone makers, despite battle-tested experience, failed to place in the top five due to bureaucratic hurdles, including export licenses and non-Chinese component requirements. While Ukrainian technology influenced some winners, direct Ukrainian firms missed the cut, though they may compete in future rounds.