Secret Memo Calls Out Pentagon Pete for Drone ‘Mishaps’
A leaked Army memo warns the Pentagon’s aggressive drone push may be putting soldiers at risk.
Alex Wong/Getty Images
The Pentagon is being accused of cutting corners on explosive safety as the military races to weaponize cheap drones for the battlefield.
A newly surfaced Army memo claims the Defense Department’s push to rapidly scale low-cost combat drones is causing “basic explosive safety principles” to be ignored, according to CBS News.
The memo was written by an explosive safety specialist after a mini-drone exploded during troubleshooting exercises involving Army Special Forces soldiers.
The Army memo has raised concerns that safety protocols around explosives are being overlooked.
Department of Defense
The memo claims the Defense Department’s push to rapidly scale low-cost combat drones is causing “basic explosive safety principles” to be ignored.
Department of Defense
The blast injured a soldier with “minor lacerations (arm and face) and concussion” after the explosive detonated while being disconnected from the drone, according to the memo.
The Army safety specialist said the explosion may have been triggered by static electricity or stray electrical currents caused by a poorly secured relay switch.
Get the best of The Beast delivered right to your inbox
By clicking “SUBSCRIBE” you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
The warning lands as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth aggressively expands the Trump administration’s billion-dollar drone buildup program, which aims to flood the military with hundreds of thousands of attack drones.
Does the rush to increase the supply of attack drones risk compromising the safety of service members?
Lance Cpl. Victor Gurrola/31st Marine Expeditionary Unit
In a July memo, Hegseth signaled the Pentagon planned to bulldoze regulations he believed were slowing military drone deployment.
“I am rescinding restrictive policies that hindered production and limited access to these vital technologies, unleashing the combined potential of American manufacturing and warfighter ingenuity,” Hegseth wrote.
“The Department’s bureaucratic gloves are coming off.”
In a July memo, Hegseth signaled the Pentagon planned to bulldoze regulations he believed were slowing military drone deployment.
Department of Defense
Months later, the Pentagon announced plans to help produce roughly 340,000 drones over two years as part of its “drone dominance” initiative.
“We will deliver tens of thousands of small drones to our force in 2026, and hundreds of thousands of them by 2027,” Hegseth declared.
“We need to outfit our combat units with unmanned systems at scale. We cannot wait.”
But the Army memo suggests the Pentagon’s sprint toward mass drone deployment may already be creating safety risks behind the scenes.
“We fully understand [Special Forces’] ability to innovate/create tactical solutions to accomplish a mission set/task,” the memo stated.
“However, I also believe [the Department of War] is in such a rush to solve future and enduring threats related to [Unmanned Aerial Systems], basic explosive safety principles are being ignored and will ultimately lead to a greater risk associated with mishaps/accidents.”
The safety specialist warned the Pentagon’s rush to counter modern drone threats risked ignoring “basic explosive safety principles” and could lead to more accidents.
The White House and Pentagon did not immediately respond to the Daily Beast’s requests for comment.
See more of our coverage in your search results.
Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here.
Unlock a year of full access to The Looker and The Daily Beast for $35.
Monthly
$1
First month then $5.99/month
Annual
$35
First year then $59.99/year
Premium
$79
First year then $119.99/year
*Substack access provided by the next business day, using your subscription email. Choosing the Premium plan constitutes your permission to share your subscription email with Substack and your agreement to Substack’s Privacy Policy.
Looks like you already have a subscription!
You're all set!
Thanks for subscribing.
Register below to read this article for free or subscribe
to unlock unlimited access to The Looker and The Daily Beast.
Monthly
$1
First month then $5.99/month
Annual
$35
First year then $59.99/year
Premium
$79
First year then $119.99/year
*Substack access provided by the next business day, using your subscription email. Choosing the Premium plan constitutes your permission to share your subscription email with Substack and your agreement to Substack’s Privacy Policy.
Already have an account? Sign In
Looks like you already have a subscription!
You're all set!
Thanks for subscribing.
Sign in
Login dialog
Sign in or create an account
Login dialog
Loading comments…