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America’s Drone Crisis: ‘Made in America’ Is Nearly Impossible
National Security Journal ^ | 8/11/2025 | Mike Jernigan

Posted on 08/11/2025 10:05:05 AM PDT by whyilovetexas111

While a new Pentagon policy makes it easier for Marines to acquire and experiment with small drones, the U.S. military faces a catastrophic drone gap with Russia and China. A recent exercise highlighted the poor performance of the few approved, American-made models. The root of the problem is a nearly extinct domestic manufacturing base, leaving the U.S. unable to produce drones at scale without relying on Chinese components.

(Excerpt) Read more at nationalsecurityjournal.org ...


TOPICS: Government; History; Military/Veterans; Politics
KEYWORDS: antiamericanism; aviation; bloggers; blogpimp; drones; ibtz; military; panicporn; russia; ukraine; usmarines; whyiloveblogpimps111; whyuhateamerica111; whyuhatetexas111
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Sadly, we can't even make simple drones. I hope everyone loves their cheap Walmart soda and toys. This is the cost for all of that.
1 posted on 08/11/2025 10:05:05 AM PDT by whyilovetexas111
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To: whyilovetexas111

It can be done if we make the commitment.


2 posted on 08/11/2025 10:07:03 AM PDT by Williams (Thank God for the election of President Trump!)
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To: whyilovetexas111
The root of the problem is a nearly extinct domestic manufacturing base, leaving the U.S. unable to produce drones at scale without relying on Chinese components.

Somebody should tell Adam Smith.

3 posted on 08/11/2025 10:07:24 AM PDT by Sirius Lee ("Never argue with a fool, onlookers may not be able to tell the difference.”)
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To: Sirius Lee

Adam Smith was a Marxist and didn’t know it. FYI Marx was a “free trader”.


4 posted on 08/11/2025 10:08:48 AM PDT by central_va (The I won't be reconstructed and I do not give a damn...)
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To: whyilovetexas111

This is one of issues with liberalism, they create so many rules and roadblocks, either thru legislation, rules by Administrative agencies and rogue Judges that nothing important gets done.

We can’t build drones because of rules and regulations, power generation plants either gas or nuclear take years and cost billions, military equipment can’t get built efficiently, nothing can be built or can’t be built cost effectively.


5 posted on 08/11/2025 10:09:07 AM PDT by srmanuel
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To: whyilovetexas111

A few aggressive, patriotic businessmen could fix that in 6-12 months.


6 posted on 08/11/2025 10:11:50 AM PDT by ComputerGuy
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To: whyilovetexas111
The root of the problem is a nearly extinct domestic manufacturing base, leaving the U.S. unable to produce drones at scale without relying on Chinese components.

The root of the problem is a nearly extinct domestic manufacturing base, leaving the U.S. unable to produce _____ at scale without relying on Chinese components.

7 posted on 08/11/2025 10:12:54 AM PDT by 1Old Pro
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To: central_va

How do you square the concept of “free trade”, which is contingent on individual property rights, with a system of central planning, where all ‘trading’ is deciding by the central authority?


8 posted on 08/11/2025 10:13:49 AM PDT by Gunslingr3
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To: whyilovetexas111

That’s because the US gov’t has over-taxed and over-regulated the US economy. Look what happened in Chile and Ireland when they cut businesses taxes—their economies exploded with growth rates unseen in other countries. Yet, Leftist say: “Tax the corporations!”. Where do these dolts think the corporations get the money to pay those taxes? It from the consumer, you idiot! Cut the tax rates and watch the companies grow as they hire more new workers. And with that comes economic growth as the economic pie grows. And with a growing economy, even if your slice of the pie stays the same, it’s now a larger pie and you enjoy a rising standard of living. But, since that’s a good thing, the Left will fight it to the death.


9 posted on 08/11/2025 10:14:31 AM PDT by econjack
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To: whyilovetexas111
Interesting, from your website:
"...a non-ideological lens. That means we publish all ideas and analyses–we are not a ‘conservative’ or ‘progressive’ website."
Sorry mate. I'm most assuredly "ideological" and conservative.
10 posted on 08/11/2025 10:15:28 AM PDT by Worldtraveler once upon a time (Degrow government)
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To: whyilovetexas111
He found we don’t have dies to make necessary tools, molds to mass produce templates, tools to assemble and construct subcomponents, nor people with the necessary knowledge and experience to manufacture products.

I'm not so sure about that. Mike Rowe has a series on Fox, "How America Works," and one episode was made at ChannelLock, Inc. I am certain that the expertise exists and only needs the appropriate investment to make happen.

BTW, has Mike received the Medal of Freedom? He certainly deserves it.

11 posted on 08/11/2025 10:17:34 AM PDT by NonValueAdded (First, I was a clinger, then deplorable, now I'm garbage. Feel the love? )
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To: whyilovetexas111

Perhaps we could send a team over to a drone factory in Ukraine to see how it’s done.


12 posted on 08/11/2025 10:20:06 AM PDT by ryderann
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To: Gunslingr3
Marx knew that free trade destabilized the working class, taking their jobs and making them more pliable. He was correct about that.
"But, in general, the protective system of our day is conservative, while the free trade system is destructive. It breaks up old nationalities and pushes the antagonism of the proletariat and the bourgeoisie to the extreme point. In a word, the free trade system hastens the social revolution. It is in this revolutionary sense alone, gentlemen, that I vote in favor of free trade."

-- Karl Marx on trade (1848)


Get it?
13 posted on 08/11/2025 10:20:16 AM PDT by central_va (The I won't be reconstructed and I do not give a damn...)
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To: srmanuel

Any excuse for continued gloBULLism.....


14 posted on 08/11/2025 10:22:41 AM PDT by central_va (The I won't be reconstructed and I do not give a damn...)
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To: whyilovetexas111
FR static thinking. The USA doesn't have X so therefore the USA can never make X. Like their is some kind of force field over the USA preventing anything from changing.
15 posted on 08/11/2025 10:25:35 AM PDT by central_va (The I won't be reconstructed and I do not give a damn...)
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To: Gunslingr3

What some might call “free trade” is only possible because of over one trillion in government fiat money added annually.


16 posted on 08/11/2025 10:26:06 AM PDT by Brian Griffin
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To: whyilovetexas111

Any war between AMerica and China will be decided by who can make the most drones both fast and cheap. The quality of the drone will be important to an extent. But quality can be overridden by price and speed to quantity. If I can make them fast I can give every solder a number of drones. I can swarm my opponent. I can see everything. If I can do it cheaply I don’t worry about priorities. Its not a tank or drone its both. And drones are a quick delivery method for many attack techs. I need a gun, or a laser, or a camera, or a missile, or a bomb, I can do it with a drone. Or I can do it with lots of drones. The biggest issue is battery tech. Smaller lighter is best. Right now china can make more faster, higher quality and cheaper than we can by about a thousand fold. Thats a problem.


17 posted on 08/11/2025 10:27:02 AM PDT by poinq (thics and customs and did not take an oath to the country. And did not follow the country's traditio)
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To: ryderann

Yes indeed. And is tool and die expertise still a thing or are metallic components sintered by 3D printers using metal precursors of powder and heat, glue, etc?


18 posted on 08/11/2025 10:27:21 AM PDT by desertsolitaire
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To: central_va
Get it?

Yeah I get it: Marx was "for" Free Trade because he saw it as a system that would help hasten the destruction of the Civil Society.

ie Marxist tactics employ Entryism and Integralism. Marx wanted to to destroy from the inside out, therefore he was "for" letting Free Trade do what he assumed it would do, from his viewpoint.

Marx most assuredly was NOT a "Free Trader".
19 posted on 08/11/2025 10:31:26 AM PDT by brent13a
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To: desertsolitaire

I can recall melting and making sand casts of lead knuckles paperweights as a kid. Filing them smoother by hand afterwards. Great for holding down important papers and stuff. Do kids explore like that these days? Putting pennies on rail tracks...pennies, and rocks, and big dead tree trunks....


20 posted on 08/11/2025 10:31:59 AM PDT by desertsolitaire
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