Sep 17, 2025 - Technology

Exclusive: U.S. is "behind" on drone warfare, defense exec says

Dave Lawler

Two men in suits seated on white chairs on stage with blue backdrop displaying AI+DC and Axios logos during a formal discussion or interview event. — Steve Simoni talks with Axios' Colin Demarest at the Axios AI+ Summit. Photo: Bryan Dozier and Ralph Alswang for Axios

The U.S. is behind rivals like China in responding to the ways in which inexpensive drones are reshaping warfare, Allen Control Systems President Steve Simoni said Wednesday at the Axios AI+ D.C. Summit.

Why it matters: The proliferation of drones has made war affordable for virtually any combatant and changed the game for the U.S. military, Simoni said.

Drones that cost a few thousand dollars can target U.S. hardware that costs millions — with the U.S. often firing very expensive missiles to knock those drones down.

The big picture: The Pentagon has invested heavily in electronic systems to remotely disable drones, but adversaries like Russia are rolling out new drones that can't be jammed, he said.

Simoni argued that every gun mounted to a U.S. ship, tank or truck will need to be "replaced with an AI version of itself" with the capability to take out drones within the next 5-10 years.
Not coincidentally, his company makes just such a gun, known as the Bullfrog.

What to watch: Simoni acknowledged that the public is wary of the idea of incorporating AI into weapons, but he argued it was still an urgent necessity.

"We're doing this to defend the country, to project power so our adversaries don't continue to encroach upon our territory."

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Exclusive: U.S. is "behind" on drone warfare, defense exec says

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