Critical Defense News from PNA Technologies
March 3, 2026Fight tonight.
The DoW’s billion-dollar drone pivot.
The Department of War is shifting to low-cost, mass-produced drones. Every one of them needs enclosure-level EMI shielding.
FIG. 01The Drone Dominance Program aims to field hundreds of thousands of small UAS by 2027.
Key figures
in this article
$1.1B
25
30,000
150,000
$2,300
The Department of War (formerly the Department of Defense) is executing a massive shift toward low-cost, mass-produced unmanned aerial systems (UAS) through its Drone Dominance Program (DDP).
The initiative aims to field hundreds of thousands of drones by 2027 to ensure “drone dominance” on the modern battlefield.
Hundreds of thousands, by 2027.
DDP
$1.1B initiative
The Drone Dominance Program is designed to rapidly scale production of small, one-way attack (OWA) drones.
Gauntlet I
Phase I · Feb 2026
The department invited 25 vendors to compete for prototype delivery orders.
Army SRR
Short Range Reconnaissance
New orders for 130 drones were secured across multiple orders and other sUAS platforms, with “aggressive” ramp-ups expected throughout 2026.
Scaling targets
Cheap drones, cheaper answers.
Fight tonight
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has emphasized moving away from expensive, multi-million-dollar missiles to counter cheap drones.
Funding
The program is largely supported by the “Big Beautiful Bill,” which allocated billions for direct spending on drones and AI.
Blue UAS List
The Blue UAS Cleared List has transitioned to the Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) to streamline vetting of secure, U.S.-made drone technology.
Inside the airframe.
PNA Technologies specializes in custom-cut EMI gaskets and thermal gap pads essential to the performance and survival of unmanned systems in contested environments.
Electromagnetic shielding
Particle-filled silicone and fluorosilicone gaskets protect sensitive drone electronics from interference caused by onboard motors or external electronic warfare (EW) like jamming.
Environmental sealing
The same gaskets protect against moisture, fuel, and extreme temperatures, critical for the all-weather requirements of military UAS.
Rapid prototyping
Custom-cut parts that fit the DoW’s accelerated acquisition model, which favors vendors who can iterate and scale production quickly.
FIG. 02Custom-cut EMI gaskets and thermal gap pads for UAS enclosures.
Shielding is mandatory.
The Department of War has mandated that all drones in its new programs meet specific levels of enclosure-level shielding. While 25 lead vendors hold the prime contracts, they rely on specialized component manufacturers like PNA Technologies to meet these stringent military EMI standards.
Shielding for
uncrewed systems.
The gaskets and materials discussed in this article, converted to your print on our Jamaica, NY floor.
EMI / RFI Gaskets
Particle-filled silicone and fluorosilicone gaskets converted to print for UAS enclosures.
Thermal Management
Gap pads and thermal interface materials cut to fit dense drone electronics.
Conductive O-Rings
Combined EMI shielding and environmental sealing for connectors and housings.
Shielding for your UAS program.
Prototype fast. Scale faster.
We work with primes and sub-tier manufacturers to specify, prototype, and supply EMI gaskets, thermal gap pads, and seals for uncrewed systems. In-stock materials, custom-cut, no minimum order.
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