WASHINGTON, February 21. /TASS/. The US War Department has begun testing kamikaze drone prototypes for mass production submitted by 25 private companies, Axios reported.

According to the news outlet, the tests are being conducted at the Fort Benning Army base in Georgia. "The trials run through early March, putting small, inexpensive drones and their makers through the wringer as the US attempts to learn the lessons of war in Ukraine," the article said.

Jeff Thompson, the CEO of Red Cat, one of the 25 manufacturers participating in the trials, told Axios that Pentagon officials are prioritizing the possibility of mass production. "If you can't produce them and deliver them on time - if you're two weeks late - you're out," he said.

After the tests are completed, the winner will receive a $150 million order to supply the prototypes.

Last December, Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth announced the launch of a four-stage program called "Drone Dominance" to purchase hundreds of thousands of kamikaze drones. The total funding for the program will amount to $1 billion. According to the top defense official, the US Army will order about 340,000 drones in four stages, the first of which is called Gauntlet. The Pentagon's plan is for the number of drones purchased in each batch to gradually increase while the average price per drone decreases.