The United States is continuing to invest heavily in large-scale military programs, even as the nature of modern warfare is rapidly evolving—driven in large part by Ukraine’s successful use of inexpensive, mass-produced drones. This shift has caught the attention of the Pentagon, which in 2023 launched the Replicator program, allocating $500 million annually to expand drone production using low-cost models. The initiative reflects a growing awareness that future conflicts may favor agility and quantity over size and complexity.
However, the core structure of the U.S. defense industry remains unchanged. The majority of large-scale contracts still go to a handful of major corporations—Lockheed Martin, Boeing, General Dynamics, Raytheon, and Northrop Grumman. These companies continue to prioritize multi-billion-dollar, long-term projects, often at the expense of rapid adaptability. Critics warn that by the time these systems are deployed, they may already be outdated.
One example is the F-47 fighter jet, currently being developed by Boeing. The research and development phase alone is expected to cost $20 billion, with the first production units not anticipated before 2030. Each jet is projected to cost around $300 million. Similarly, the Gerald R. Ford–class aircraft carriers, though the most advanced ever built, are also the most expensive—each costing over $13 billion. The full program is expected to exceed $120 billion. The first carrier became operational six years after commissioning, and future units continue to face delays.
Alongside these projects, President Donald Trump is backing a new missile defense system known as the “Golden Dome.” The concept is modeled after Reagan’s Strategic Defense Initiative, often referred to as “Star Wars,” and is designed to protect the U.S. from ballistic, hypersonic, and cruise missile attacks. The system would rely on satellite-based interceptors and ground-based launch platforms. The estimated cost is $175 billion, though the Congressional Budget Office reports that the space-based component alone could reach $524 billion.
Two major contractors are expected to lead the effort: SpaceX, due to its ability to launch payloads at reduced cost, and Lockheed Martin, which already produces systems like Patriot. Despite this, experts and military analysts have raised concerns that the current version of the Golden Dome may not effectively defend against the kinds of drones that Ukraine has successfully used to damage Russian forces.
Still, the defense budget continues to grow. For 2025, it stands at $895 billion. The Trump administration is proposing to raise that figure above $1 trillion. Against this backdrop, U.S. military aid to Ukraine remains comparatively modest—especially given that much of it ultimately returns to American defense firms. The U.S. military strategy, for now, continues to favor scale and dominance over speed and flexibility.
