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Owen West

Then-U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Joseph Kunkel, 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing commander, stands in an F-15E Strike Eagle July 9, 2021, in an undisclosed location somewhere in Southwest Asia. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Cameron Otte)

DIU’s first active-duty military deputy wants to help U.S. forces meet future fights ‘with swagger’

Two senior officials discussed the Defense Innovation Unit's plan to equip American forces with the right and best weapons, faster than ever before.
A target is hit by a first-person view small unmanned aircraft system strike during an FPV sUAS live fire demonstration at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, Jan. 29, 2026. I Marine Expeditionary Force, in partnership with Defense Innovation Unit, evaluated fiber-optic drones for use in signal-degraded environments. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Joshua Bustamante)

In its next chapter, DIU aims to reduce the military’s ‘cost per kill’

In an exclusive interview with DefenseScoop, Owen West shared new details about his vision to reshape DIU’s operational structure to fit its modern mission.
A Soldier assigned to 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment employs lethal small unmanned aerial systems during a visit with Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth at Fort Benning, Georgia on Sept. 4, 2025. (DVIDS — Photo by Spc. Luke Sullivan)

DOD placing first Drone Dominance orders this week, with deliveries slated for 17 military units in March

Senior officials shared new details about those and other pursuits to rapidly enhance the U.S. drone industry and associated weapons arsenal.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth hosts a drone demonstration at the Pentagon, July 10, 2025. The event was hosted to portray the Secretary of Defense’s initiative of Unleashing U.S. Military Drone Dominance. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Alondra Y. Lopez Gonzalez)

Pentagon could award just 3 vendors for biggest phase of Drone Dominance Program

The Pentagon anticipates buying 150,000 drones in the final phase of the initiative.
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