When Google's former CEO Eric Schmidt suggested US Army to give away tanks, and buy ...

On June 1, 2025, Ukraine launched a shocking drone offensive, codenamed Operation Spiderweb, targeting Russian air bases housing nuclear-capable long-range bombers. Over 100 drones reportedly struck facilities across Russia, from Murmansk above the Arctic Circle to the Amur region, 8,000 kilometers from Ukraine. The operation, marked by explosions across multiple time zones, once again underscored the growing role of drones in modern warfare.

This brings to focus a statement made by Google's former CEO Eric Schmidt at at the Future Investment Initiative in Saudi Arabia in November 2024. Speaking at the event, Schmidt urged the U.S. to rethink its military priorities, suggesting it replaces traditional tank fleets with advanced drones. “I read somewhere that the U.S. had thousands of tanks stored somewhere. Give them away. Buy a drone instead,” he said, citing Ukraine’s success in using affordable drones to counter Russia’s numerical and air superiority. Schmidt’s advocacy draws from his leadership of the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence, which in 2021 concluded that AI would transform warfare across all domains.

Building drones for Ukraine to take on Russia

The attack highlights a strategic shift advocated by former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, who has emerged as a key figure in integrating AI-driven technology into military strategy. Schmidt, founder of the military startup White Stork, is developing AI-powered "Kamikaze drones" for Ukraine. These drones, designed to loiter and strike targets autonomously, can operate in GPS-denied environments, making them ideal for Ukraine’s battlefield needs. Named after a bird common in Ukraine, White Stork’s drones aim to counter Russian forces by destroying high-value targets like tanks, which Schmidt notes can be neutralized by a $5,000 drone despite costing millions.


In a 2023 Wall Street Journal op-ed, Schmidt called Kamikaze drones—costing as little as $400 and carrying small explosives—“the most important” innovation for defeating Russia and future adversaries. Ukraine’s recent operation exemplifies this vision, showcasing how drones can strike deep into enemy territory, reshaping the battlefield.

Since leaving Google in 2018, where he served as CEO from 2001 to 2011 and later as executive chairman of Alphabet, Schmidt has bridged Silicon Valley and the Pentagon, championing AI-driven defense solutions. His work with White Stork and his public statements signal a broader push for militaries worldwide to embrace autonomous technology as the future of warfare.



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