Dan Driscoll said Ukraine modernised its forces rapidly despite a far smaller budget than the United States. He pointed to drone technology and criticised the U.S. military procurement system.
Former U.S. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll said it was “humiliating” to see Ukraine rapidly adapt its armed forces and obtain what he described as better weapons despite spending far less than the United States. In an interview with Rolling Stone, he linked the country’s experience particularly to the development of drone technology.
Rolling Stone reported that Driscoll formed an experimental battalion of about 600 service members in May 2025 to focus on unmanned systems. Based in Italy, the unit worked with Ukrainian advisers, tested electronic-warfare tactics and established its own drone laboratories.
Driscoll also criticised U.S. procurement, saying equipment can be outdated by the time it reaches troops and that the process makes it difficult to replace ineffective systems quickly. He cited the Humvee as an example: the Army needed about 50,000 vehicles, he said, but obtained more than twice that number as Congress continued funding production beyond the service’s stated requirement.
He proposed using a common marketplace to increase competition among suppliers of counter-drone equipment, including sensors, jamming systems and interceptors. Driscoll wanted to extend that approach to other gear and open it to U.S. allies. Faulty equipment, he said, can cost American service members their lives.
Driscoll did not portray his relationship with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth as a constant conflict. He said they likely agreed on more than half of the issues, though public attention focused on their disagreements. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell rejected Rolling Stone’s criticism of Hegseth’s leadership, saying he had worked to modernise the armed forces from his first day.
In June, Driscoll also announced plans for two U.S. training ranges designed to replicate battlefield conditions in Ukraine for testing drones and electronic-warfare systems. In August, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing sources, that he was expected to leave amid tensions over Army modernisation and the dismissal of Army Chief of Staff Randy George.