Scheduled follow-up · Feb 05, 2027
Scheduled follow-up · Dec 31, 2026
Scheduled follow-up · Dec 01, 2026
Scheduled follow-up · Sep 01, 2026
Completion due · Sep 01, 2026
Update · Feb 13, 2026, 08:21 PMin_progress
Claim restatement: The Department committed to fully replacing USBP’s drone fleet, citing the prior acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) in FY25, with a stated goal of retirements and a complete fleet replacement across USBP. Evidence of progress: DHS communications in early February 2026 reiterate the pledge for a full replacement following the FY25 300 sUAS acquisition; CBP reporting as of December 2025 shows ongoing deployment: more than 135 sUAS in use, about 60 additional systems in procurement, and a plan to expand toward a larger fleet (up to roughly 460 drones) across Border Patrol operations. This indicates momentum in expanding and standardizing drone capabilities, but not a formal retirement of the prior fleet. Reliability note: The sources include DHS remarks (Feb 5, 2026) and CBP program updates (Dec 17, 2025); they confirm ongoing investment but do not demonstrate a completed replacement as of the current date. Completion remains contingent on retirement records and full deployment metrics across USBP, which have not been publicly documented to date.
Update · Feb 13, 2026, 05:31 PMin_progress
Claim restatement: The DHS article quotes Secretary Noem promising a full replacement of USBP’s drone fleet, following the acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25.
Evidence of progress: The DHS release (Feb 5, 2026) asserts the commitment and notes prior activity around border security and drone capabilities, including reference to the 300 sUAS acquisition/deployment in FY25. Independent reporting from CBP indicates ongoing small drone programs as of 2025, with CBP emphasizing supplemental airborne capabilities and expanded use of such systems (CBP small drones program updates, 2025).
Evidence of completion, progress, or failure: There is no public confirmation that USBP’s entire drone fleet has been retired and replaced, nor any documented deployment across USBP as a completed program by the date in question. DHS’s statement frames the replacement as a forward plan, not a completed milestone, and subsequent reporting highlights ongoing deployment rather than a fully retired legacy fleet (DHS release, 2026; CBP program updates, 2025).
Dates and milestones: The source DHS release is dated February 5, 2026, referencing FY25 drone acquisitions (300 sUAS) and a pledge for full replacement. Other sources indicate activity around 2024–2025, with ongoing drone program expansion rather than a completed fleet retirement (CBP small drones program updates, 2025; January 2025 reports).
Source reliability: The primary reference is a DHS press release, an official government communication, which is appropriate for tracking policy promises. Supplemental context from CBP official pages and tech/defense coverage (e.g., CBP small drones program, 2025; Wired/AV/Defense coverage) provides independent corroboration of ongoing drone initiatives but does not show a completed fleet replacement as of early 2026.
Follow-up note: Given the stated completion condition (retired legacy fleet and deployed replacement across USBP), a targeted follow-up should verify USBP fleet retirement records and current deployment status with USBP/CBP asset inventories and any updated DHS or GAO reports documenting the replacement timeline.
Update · Feb 13, 2026, 03:15 PMin_progress
Claim restatement: The Department committed to fully replacing USBP’s drone fleet, citing the acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25. The February 2026 DHS release quotes Secretary Noem linking the replacement commitment to that prior 300 SUAS deployment. Evidence publicly published as of 2026-02-13 does not show a retired former fleet or a fully deployed replacement across USBP; it instead highlights ongoing use of drones and a broader CBP drone program. There is no clear, official completion date or milestone indicating the entire USBP drone fleet has been retired and replaced. Independent reporting and CBP materials describe expansion and modernization of drone capabilities, but stop short of confirming full fleet retirement. Given available public records, the claim remains plausible but unconfirmed as complete, with progress described as ongoing. The reliability of sources ranges from official DHS messaging to trade press coverage of CBP drone deployments, requiring cautious interpretation regarding milestones.
Update · Feb 13, 2026, 02:03 PMin_progress
The claim promises a full replacement of USBP’s drone fleet, anchored to the prior acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25. The DHS article from February 5, 2026 quotes Secretary Noem committing to the full replacement “including the full replacement of USBP’s drone fleet” after the 300 sUAS in FY25, signaling an aspirational policy target rather than a completed action at that time. The completion condition requires retired prior fleets and new systems deployed across USBP, with no explicit final date.
Evidence of progress shows substantial ongoing drone capabilities and expansion. CBP’s small drones program page (updated December 17, 2025) describes a fleet that includes approximately 135 systems in use and 60 in procurement, with a long-term plan to field up to 460 drones. This indicates continued procurement, deployment, and training, but not necessarily a full fleet retirement or a completed switch across all USBP units.
There is no publicly available, verifiable notice that the entire prior drone fleet has been retired or that a nationwide transition across USBP has been completed. The program’s stated trajectory—scaling from dozens to hundreds of platforms—suggests a gradual modernization rather than an abrupt wholesale replacement with a clear retirement milestone.
Key dates and milestones include: (1) FY25 acquisition and deployment of 300 sUAS cited by the DHS piece as a trigger for fleet replacement, (2) December 2025 CBP data showing roughly 135 systems in use and 60 in procurement toward a target of 460, and (3) February 2026 public emphasis on pursuing a full replacement. These pieces collectively illustrate momentum but not completion.
Source reliability is high for the DHS article and the CBP program page, both official
U.S. government sources. The DHS piece frames the replacement as a policy objective tied to prior 300 sUAS investments, while the CBP page provides concrete counts and deployment status for the drone program, indicating ongoing progress rather than finalization. The combination supports a cautious, in-progress assessment rather than a finished replacement.
Update · Feb 13, 2026, 12:21 PMin_progress
Claim restatement: The DHS article quotes Secretary Noem promising a full replacement of the U.S. Border Patrol’s drone fleet, following the acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25. The completion condition is that USBP’s entire drone fleet is retired and a new system is fully deployed across USBP. Current evidence shows a substantial ongoing expansion of USBP’s sUAS program, with public updates indicating growth toward a larger drone fleet rather than a formally retired legacy inventory. No official record demonstrates the complete retirement of the prior fleet as of February 2026, which would be required to meet the stated completion condition.
Update · Feb 13, 2026, 10:03 AMin_progress
Claim restated: The Department committed to fully replacing USBP’s drone fleet, citing the prior acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25. Public DHS/CBP materials show a strong push to expand small UAS usage, including procurement and deployment milestones, but no public record confirms the old fleet retirement or a complete nationwide replacement completed across USBP.
Progress indicators: CBP’s small drones program indicates deployment of 300+ systems and ongoing procurement as of late 2025, with hundreds more planned and used in active operations. The DHS piece from Feb 5, 2026 reiterates the commitment to full replacement after FY25’s 300 UAS deployment, but does not publish a retirement date or explicit completion milestone.
Current status: While there is substantial expansion and ongoing fleet modernization, there is no verifiable completion date or retirement records for the prior drone fleet. The available materials do not show a formal finish to the replacement across
USBP as of early 2026.
Reliability of sources: The DHS article provides the stated political/administrative commitment; CBP’s program materials offer operational context but do not confirm full retirement. Taken together, the claim remains unconfirmed on a complete replacement as of February 2026.
Incentives and context: The push aligns with improving agent safety and real-time surveillance; the lack of a retirement timeline suggests ongoing asset modernization rather than a finalized fleet swap. A formal retirement schedule would be a key milestone for closure.
Update · Feb 13, 2026, 07:06 AMin_progress
Claim restated: The Department committed to fully replacing the U.S. Border Patrol's drone fleet, following the acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems (SUAS) in FY25. The DHS article from February 5, 2026 frames the replacement as part of Secretary Noem’s stated plan, referencing the prior 300 SUAS deployment in FY25 as the precursor to a full fleet replacement. The explicit completion condition is the retirement of the old fleet and deployment of new systems across USBP, with no separate completion date provided.
Evidence of progress: Public DHS messaging confirms the plan to replace the USBP drone fleet and ties it to the FY25 SUAS procurement of 300 units. Independent detail from CBP’s small drones program (Dec 17, 2025) indicates ongoing expansion of the SUAS program—roughly 135 systems in use, about 60 more in procurement, and a broader goal of hundreds more drones across the Border Patrol—rather than a completed retirement of older platforms.
Current status against completion: There is no verified evidence that USBP has fully replaced its entire drone fleet or that records show the previous fleet retired. The most recent authoritative updates describe ongoing expansion and procurement, with a multi-hundred-unit plan (e.g., 460 drones referenced by CBP materials) but stop short of confirming retirement of legacy systems. As of February 2026, the claim remains in_progress.
Dates and milestones: The article cites FY25 as the year of the 300 SUAS acquisition/deployment, and CBP materials from late 2025 document current usage, procurement, and deployment trajectories but do not provide a completion date or a retirement record for the old fleet. Notable figures include 135 systems in operation and 60 in procurement as of December 2025, with broad plans to scale further.
Source reliability note: The core claim originates from official DHS and CBP communications, which directly reflect agency positions and program data. Cross-checks with CBP’s Frontline small drones program materials corroborate ongoing SUAS deployment and procurement, though they do not show retirement of prior fleets or a fixed completion milestone. The reporting aligns across official DHS messaging and CBP program updates, supporting a cautious, in_progress assessment rather than a completed replacement.
Update · Feb 13, 2026, 04:45 AMin_progress
Claim restated: The Department committed to fully replacing the U.S. Border Patrol's drone fleet, citing acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25.
Evidence of progress: Publicly available DHS/CBP materials indicate ongoing deployment of small drones rather than a full replacement. As of December 17, 2025, CBP reported more than 135 systems in use and 60 more in procurement, with plans to expand to a total of about 460 drones. This shows incremental buildup rather than a completed fleet replacement.
Assessment of completion: There is no public record showing the previous drone fleet retired and the entire USBP fleet switched to the new systems. The CBP update describes ongoing procurement and deployment, not retirement milestones or a fully replaced, fully active baseline across all USBP sectors.
Dates and milestones: The key public milestone cited is CBP’s December 2025 overview of fleet size (135 active, 60 in procurement) and the stated goal of expanding to 460 drones. No authoritative source confirms the claimed 300-system FY25 acquisition as a standalone milestone or a retirement date for the older fleet.
Reliability note: The primary source is CBP’s own Small Drones Program page, which provides department-sanctioned figures and deployment plans. Independent corroboration from authoritative oversight or procurement reports would strengthen assessing whether a full replacement has occurred. Overall, evidence supports ongoing expansion but not completion of a full fleet replacement as of early 2026.
Update · Feb 13, 2026, 03:09 AMin_progress
Claim restatement: DHS Secretary Kristi Noem pledged the full replacement of USBP’s drone fleet after the acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25, framing it as a resource to support regional partners.
Evidence of progress: The DHS press release from February 5, 2026 reiterates the pledge and ties it to FY25 sUAS procurement, but does not provide evidence that the entire USBP drone fleet has been retired or that a full replacement has been completed. Separate reporting around DHS drone initiatives in January 2026 shows the department standing up a new Program Executive Office for Unmanned Aircraft Systems and Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems, with a $115 million investment in counter-drone tech, indicating ongoing modernization rather than a completed fleet swap for USBP.
Status assessment: There is no public confirmation that USBP’s previous drone fleet has been retired or that new systems are deployed across USBP nationwide. The most explicit completion condition—full retirement of the old fleet and deployment across USBP—has not been evidenced in available DHS or partner reporting as of 2026-02-12.
Dates and milestones: The claim cites FY25 as the acquisition/deployment period for 300 sUAS. The DHS page confirming the pledge is dated Feb 5, 2026. The newly announced DHS drone office and related investments appear in January 2026 coverage, highlighting ongoing modernization but not a finalized fleet replacement.
Source reliability and incentives: Primary source is a DHS official release, with corroboration from industry/tech reporting on the DHS drone office (Nextgov). The materials emphasize national-security tech modernization and border-security capabilities, which aligns with DHS incentives to demonstrate progress and leverage new funding, but do not provide verifiable retirement/deployment records for USBP’s entire drone fleet. Given the absence of documented retirement records, the claim remains unverified as completed.
Follow-up note: A concrete update on USBP fleet retirement status and deployment across USBP should be sought from DHS program announcements or USBP fleet management records. A targeted follow-up date could be 2026-12-31 to verify year-end fleet status and any published inventory changes.
Update · Feb 13, 2026, 12:34 AMin_progress
Claim restated: The DHS article asserts a commitment to fully replace USBP’s drone fleet, building on the acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) in FY25. Evidence publicly available as of February 2026 shows ongoing drone use and expansion rather than a clearly documented retirement of the prior fleet.
A DHS February 5, 2026 release reiterates the pledge to replace the USBP drone fleet but does not provide a completion timeline or records showing retirement of the older fleet. Independent coverage of CBP drone activity around late 2025 indicates continued deployment and training of sUAS, with figures such as “more than 135 systems in use” and plans for further expansion to as many as 460 drones, but no definitive retirement date for the previous fleet is disclosed.
The available materials thus support ongoing modernization and expansion rather than a completed full fleet retirement. The claim’s completion condition—records showing retirement of the old fleet and deployment of new systems across USBP—has not been evidenced publicly to date.
Update · Feb 12, 2026, 08:51 PMin_progress
Claim restatement: The Department committed to fully replacing USBP’s drone fleet, citing the acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25, with a completion condition that the prior fleet be retired and the new systems deployed across USBP. Evidence of progress: DHS’s February 5, 2026 release quotes Secretary Noem and describes plans for a full replacement following the FY25 acquisition of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems. It frames this as part of ongoing border-security efforts and notes prior deployments of technology to support USBP. However, the release provides no verifiable milestones, retirement records, or deployment confirmations beyond the stated FY25 activity.
Dates and milestones: The acquisition is described as having occurred in FY25, with public emphasis during a February 2026 DHS event at the southern and northern borders. No explicit completion date is given, and there is no public record confirming retirement of older drone assets or the exact USBP deployment footprint.
Reliability notes: The primary source is an official DHS news release, which is a credible government communication. While it asserts a policy commitment and a specific procurement figure, independent verification of fleet retirement or deployment is not evident in the sources consulted for this review. The claim remains contingent on future disclosures or audits showing retirement of the old fleet and full
USBP deployment of new systems.
Update · Feb 12, 2026, 05:27 PMin_progress
Claim restatement: The Department committed to fully replacing USBP’s drone fleet, following the acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25.
Evidence of progress: The DHS press release (Feb 5, 2026) states the commitment to a full replacement and references the prior acquisition/deployment of 300 sUAS in FY25. The CBP small drones program page (updated Dec 17, 2025) describes ongoing use and deployment capabilities for sUAS supporting USBP operations.
Evidence on completion status: There is no public record confirming retirement of the prior drone fleet or a completed, nationwide deployment across
USBP as of 2026-02-12; no retirement milestone is documented.
Dates and milestones: FY25 is cited for the 300 sUAS acquisition/deployment; February 2026 sources reiterate the commitment but do not provide a completion date.
Reliability of sources: Primary sources are official DHS/CBP pages, which are appropriate for tracking government actions, though they do not publicly confirm fleet retirement or universal deployment across USBP. The absence of a retirement record suggests the claim remains in_progress.
Overall assessment: The status is best characterized as in_progress, pending verifiable retirement data and full deployment across USBP.
Update · Feb 12, 2026, 03:41 PMin_progress
The claim states that the Department committed to fully replacing USBP’s drone fleet, following the acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25, with the completion condition that the previous fleet is retired and new systems are deployed across
USBP.
Publicly available sources indicate the department publicly reaffirmed a commitment to replacing the USBP drone fleet, citing a prior acquisition of 300 sUAS in FY25 (DHS article, Feb 5, 2026). However, there is no clear evidence that the entire old fleet has been retired or that a complete USBP-wide replacement has been completed as of February 2026.
CBP’s own 2025–2026 reporting highlights ongoing drone deployments and a plan to expand the small-drone program (e.g., the December 2025 CBP Small Drones Program profile describes existing operators and a target fleet scale, but does not document retirement of older platforms or a completed USBP-wide replacement). This suggests progress is underway, but not yet a full replacement across USBP.
Key dates and milestones evident in the public record include the DHS release noting the FY25 300 sUAS milestone and the December 2025 CBP drone program profile showing continued deployment growth. The absence of a published record showing retirement of legacy drones or a completed USBP-wide replacement indicates the completion condition remains unmet at this time.
Source reliability is high for the DHS release and CBP program materials, both official
U.S. government sources. The DHS piece quotes Secretary Noem and references a policy commitment rather than a verifiable fleet retirement metric, and the CBP page documents ongoing deployments rather than a finalized transition schedule. Together, the record supports a status of ongoing progress with no demonstrated completion to date.
Update · Feb 12, 2026, 02:06 PMin_progress
Claim restated: The Department pledged to fully replace the U.S. Border Patrol's drone fleet, following the acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25. The DHS article from February 5, 2026 frames the commitment as an ongoing policy goal, but does not provide a concrete, publicly verifiable milestone that constitutes completion.
The available public record does not show a retirement of the prior fleet or a complete, nationwide deployment of new systems. No independent audit or DHS/CBP press release has announced the full fleet replacement as completed.
Evidence of progress is limited to the policy emphasis in the DHS piece; there is no corroborating, verifiable data in publicly accessible government documents confirming a completed transition as of February 2026.
No published completion date or documented milestones (retired fleet, fielded units, or training) are publicly available to certify completion. The trajectory remains unverified as completed.
Overall, the claim remains unverified with an ongoing replacement effort; the available sources suggest intent but not a confirmed completion as of the current date.
Update · Feb 12, 2026, 12:12 PMin_progress
The claim asserts that the Department committed to fully replacing the U.S. Border Patrol's drone fleet, citing the acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25. Evidence shows progress in expanding the small drones program, but no definitive official record confirms a full retirement of the prior fleet or a completed replacement milestone. As of December 17, 2025, CBP reported over 135 small UAS in use with about 60 more in procurement and plans to scale up toward a larger fleet (up to 460 drones), indicating continued progress rather than completion (CBP, 2025; press coverage). The available sources provide progress metrics but do not verify a completed replacement as of the current date.
Update · Feb 12, 2026, 10:03 AMin_progress
Claim restatement: The Department committed to fully replacing USBP's drone fleet, citing the acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25. Evidence of progress: DHS's February 5, 2026 release frames the replacement as ongoing after the FY25 SUAS deployment; CBP's December 17, 2025 update shows active deployment and ongoing procurement, signaling continued expansion rather than a completed retirement. Completion status: no public record shows the prior USBP drone fleet formally retired or a fully deployed replacement across USBP; the available materials indicate ongoing procurement and deployment. Reliability note: official DHS/CBP sources confirm policy intent and ongoing program activity, but political framing and lack of a definitive retirement milestone make the claim partially substantiated while not yet complete.
Update · Feb 12, 2026, 05:26 AMin_progress
The claim states that the Department committed to fully replacing the U.S. Border Patrol's drone fleet, after acquiring and deploying 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25. Public records show the CBP Small UAS program is expanding and shifting toward broader use, but there is no evidence of a completed fleet replacement or retirement of the prior drones. As of late 2025, CBP reported more than 135 small UAS in use nationwide, with about 60 more in procurement, and plans to expand to roughly 460 drones overall, indicating ongoing progress rather than a completed replacement (CBP frontline page, 2025; CBP program). The DHS OIG has reviewed Border Patrol's sUAS use but has not published any record confirming the retirement of the previous fleet or a closed, nationwide replacement (DHS OIG, 2025–2026).
Update · Feb 12, 2026, 03:58 AMin_progress
Claim restated: The DHS/Noem administration announced a goal to fully replace USBP’s drone fleet, building on the acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25. The February 5, 2026 DHS release explicitly ties the replacement goal to the prior FY25 acquisition of 300 systems and frames it as a future objective rather than a completed action (DHS, 2026-02-05).
Evidence of progress: DHS and CBP have publicly described ongoing deployment of small drones across USBP operations, with CBP’s small drones program notes and related DHS/CBP communications indicating continued expansion and routine use of these systems (CBP Small Drones Program, 2025-12; DHS release, 2026-02-05). This supports that the drone capability is being broadened and integrated rather than halted, consistent with the stated goal to replace the legacy fleet with newer systems.
Evidence about completion: No official confirmation that the prior drone fleet has been retired or that a full fleet replacement has been completed. The DHS statement describes the replacement as a goal and cites prior acquisition/deployment of 300 UAS in FY25, but there is no public record of the retirement of older platforms or a certified end-state where all old aircraft are retired (DHS, 2026-02-05; CBP Small Drones Program, 2025-12).
Milestones and dates: The referenced FY25 procurement of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems is a concrete milestone cited by DHS (FY25). Subsequent reporting in late 2025 and early 2026 indicates ongoing deployment and expanded use of small drones, but no firm completion date or retirement ledger has been published (CBP Small Drones Program, 2025-12).
Reliability of sources: The principal source is an official DHS press release (DHS, 2026-02-05), which represents an authoritative account of policy aims and stated commitments. Additional corroboration comes from CBP program pages detailing ongoing deployment of small drones (CBP, 2025-12). While these confirm progress, they do not provide an auditable retirement record for legacy equipment, so the claim cannot be deemed complete at this time.
Overall assessment: The claim remains in_progress. There is clear evidence of continued deployment and commitment to upgrading drone capabilities, but no public confirmation that the entire USBP drone fleet has been retired and replaced across all USBP assets (DHS, 2026-02-05; CBP, 2025-12). A formal completion would require a records-based retirement of legacy fleets and deployment of new systems everywhere USBP operates, which has not been publicly demonstrated as of the current date.
Update · Feb 12, 2026, 02:19 AMin_progress
Claim restatement: The DHS/USBP drone fleet is to be fully replaced, following the acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) in FY25, with the pledge of complete retirement of the old fleet once the new systems are deployed.
Evidence of progress: DHS press material from February 5, 2026 notes Secretary Noem’s commitment to a full replacement of USBP’s drone fleet, building on the prior acquisition of 300 sUAS in FY25 (DHS, 2026-02-05). CBP publicly describes ongoing drone program activity, including deployment of small drones and plans to expand to a larger fleet (CBP frontline page, December 17, 2025). These sources indicate movement from testing to broader deployment, rather than a finalized retirement of the old fleet.
Completion status: There is no publicly available record showing the entire previous drone fleet retired and the new systems fully deployed across USBP. The DHS statement frames the replacement as ongoing, and CBP materials describe expanding deployment but do not confirm full retirement of older platforms.
Dates and milestones: The cited FY25 acquisition of 300 sUAS occurred prior to late 2025, with CBP reporting at least 135–460 drones in circulation or in procurement as of December 2025 (CBP Small Drones Program). The DHS release is dated February 5, 2026, signaling a stated policy intention rather than a completed transition.
Reliability of sources: The main claims come from an official DHS press release (DHS.gov) and CBP’s own program page (CBP.gov). Both are primary sources for
U.S. government actions, though neither confirms a completed fleet retirement; together they support progress toward replacement and ongoing deployment.
Update · Feb 12, 2026, 12:13 AMin_progress
Restatement of claim: The Department stated a commitment to fully replace USBP’s drone fleet, following the acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25, with the objective that the previous fleet be retired and new systems deployed across USBP.
Evidence of progress: DHS coverage from February 2026 reiterates the commitment to replacing USBP’s drone fleet, tied to the prior FY25 acquisition and deployment of 300 sUAS. CBP public materials from December 2025 describe ongoing drone deployments and a plan to scale up, noting current inventory and procurement pipeline, indicating activity and expansion but not full retirement.
Status of completion: There is no public evidence showing the entire prior drone fleet retired or a full
USBP-wide replacement completed as of early 2026. Available sources show ongoing deployment and scaling rather than a final retirement milestone.
Dates and milestones: The key milestone is the FY25 deployment of 300 sUAS, with a stated goal of full replacement thereafter. Late-2025 materials indicate progress toward 460 drones, but no confirmation of complete fleet retirement.
Reliability of sources: Official DHS statements anchor the commitment; CBP program materials provide operational context and deployment figures but stop short of confirming final completion. Overall, they support ongoing progress, not a confirmed completion as of February 2026.
Update · Feb 11, 2026, 09:31 PMin_progress
Restated claim: The Department committed to fully replacing USBP’s drone fleet, following the acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25. The DHS article ties the commitment to that prior FY25 acquisition and frames the replacement as a current objective rather than a completed action (DHS, 2026-02-05).
Evidence of progress: Public DHS communications confirm a stated commitment from Secretary Noem to replace the USBP drone fleet and reference the 300 SUAS acquired/deployed in FY25 as a recent step (DHS, 2026-02-05). Separately, CBP’s small drones program page notes ongoing SUAS use and deployment within USBP, indicating continued expansion of drone capabilities but not a retirement milestone (CBP, 2025-12-17).
Current status: There is no public record demonstrating that the entire USBP drone fleet has been retired and replaced with new systems across
USBP as of early 2026. The available sources show a stated policy goal and evidence of continued use and procurement efforts, but no retirement/completion verification (DHS, 2026-02-05; CBP, 2025-12-17).
Milestones and reliability: The key milestone cited is the FY25 acquisition/deployment of 300 SUAS, which is described as a prior step leading to full replacement; no explicit completion date or retirement records are publicly published. Given the absence of retirement data and formal completion announcements, the claim remains unverified as complete at this time (DHS, 2026-02-05; CBP, 2025-12-17).
Update · Feb 11, 2026, 08:21 PMin_progress
Claim restatement: The Department committed to fully replacing USBP’s drone fleet, building on the acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25.
Progress evidence: Publicly available records show a stated plan to replace USBP drones and a 300-sUAS procurement/deployment in FY25 (as cited by DHS in Feb 2026). The CBP small drones program page (Dec 2025) indicates ongoing deployment and standardization of sUAS across USBP operations, signaling movement toward broader adoption rather than a completed fleet swap.
Current status against completion: There is no public record of a completed retirement of the old drone fleet or a full, fleet-wide deployment of new systems across
USBP as of Feb 2026. DHS materials emphasize a continued replacement effort but do not specify a retirement date or a final deployment milestone. The absence of a retirement record or a fixed completion date means the replacement remains in progress.
Source reliability and limitations: Key sources are official DHS/CBP communications (DHS News Release Feb 5, 2026; CBP small drones program page Dec 2025), which are authoritative but do not provide a concrete completion timeline. Given the incentives of the agencies to emphasize ongoing security improvements, independent verification or retirement records would strengthen certainty. Overall, the claim aligns with reported procurement activity but lacks a documented completion milestone to confirm full replacement.
Update · Feb 11, 2026, 05:42 PMin_progress
Restated claim: The Department committed to fully replacing the U.S. Border Patrol's drone fleet, following the acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25. The DHS release from February 5, 2026 frames the replacement as a commitment and cites the prior deployment of 300 sUAS in FY25 as context for pursuing a full fleet replacement. Evidence of progress is limited to official statements emphasizing commitment and ongoing border-security improvements; no public, verifiable fleet retirement or deployment ledger demonstrates a completed replacement as of 2026-02-11. There are no published completion milestones or retirement dates in high-quality official sources beyond the stated commitment. Source reliability is high for the claim’s framing, but the absence of a retirement/deployment ledger means the completion status remains unproven; the claim should be treated as pending until DHS/USBP publish verifiable fleet-transition data.
Update · Feb 11, 2026, 03:37 PMin_progress
Summary of the claim: The DHS article states the department committed to fully replacing the U.S. Border Patrol’s drone fleet, following the acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25. The claim rests on a stated commitment and a prior figure but offers no evidence of a completed replacement.
Evidence of progress: Public reporting shows the DHS piece announcing the commitment but provides no concrete milestones, retirement records, or universal deployment across
USBP. There is no independent confirmation that the prior fleet has been retired or that new systems are fully deployed.
Current status: No public documentation currently demonstrates full fleet retirement and universal deployment of new drones across USBP. The completion condition has not been evidenced in accessible sources, so the claim remains unconfirmed and likely in_progress.
Reliability and incentives: The primary source is an official DHS release, which is credible for stated commitments but lacks verifiable, dated progress. Large-scale procurement decisions depend on budget, contractor performance, and field integration, factors that can delay completion; a formal DHS progress update would clarify status.
Update · Feb 11, 2026, 02:06 PMin_progress
Claim restatement: The Department committed to fully replacing the U.S. Border Patrol's drone fleet, citing the acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25. The DHS piece quotes Secretary Noem as endorsing a full replacement following that deployment. There is no explicit completion date in the article, only the stated commitment.
Progress evidence: Official CBP materials describe ongoing use and expansion of small drones, with hundreds deployed or procured by late 2025 and plans to scale further, but these sources document modernization rather than a retirement of a prior fleet. DHS coverage confirms continued emphasis on drone-enabled operations. No public record shows retirement of the entire previous fleet as of early 2026.
Status assessment: Based on available official sources, the fleet replacement remains unconfirmed as complete; the claim remains in_progress pending verifiable retirement records and deployment of new systems across USBP.
Reliability note: The primary sources are DHS/CBP communications, which describe ongoing procurement and deployment rather than a completed, fleet-wide transition, supporting an in_progress assessment.
Update · Feb 11, 2026, 12:08 PMin_progress
Claim restatement: The DHS article asserts a commitment to fully replace the U.S. Border Patrol’s drone fleet, following the acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) in FY25.
Evidence of progress: The DHS release from February 5, 2026 explicitly frames the replacement as a commitment and places it in the context of the FY25 300-sUAS acquisition/deployment. It cites Secretary Noem’s remarks and the broader border-security narrative at the time.
Current status: There is no public DHS/USBP confirmation that the prior drone fleet has been retired or that new systems have been deployed across USBP, nor is there a stated completion date beyond the ongoing commitment.
Reliability note: The primary source is an official DHS news release, which is appropriate for policy statements but does not provide independent milestones (inventory retirement records, deployment evidence) needed to verify completion. Additional corroboration from USBP/CBP procurement updates would help verify fulfillment.
Update · Feb 11, 2026, 09:53 AMin_progress
Claim restatement: The DHS article quotes Secretary Noem promising the full replacement of USBP’s drone fleet, building on the acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25. The statement ties the replacement to prior FY25 SUAS activity and frames it as a future objective rather than a completed action.
Evidence of progress: The DHS release notes the acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25, and it asserts a commitment to a full fleet replacement. However, the article does not provide concrete implementation milestones, deployment timelines, or retirements of the prior fleet. Publicly verifiable updates on USBP fleet retirement or deployment of new systems beyond that FY25 claim are not readily found in accessible government sources as of today.
Current status assessment: There is no public corroboration that the USBP drone fleet has been fully retired and replaced across
USBP as of February 2026. The DHS release emphasizes intent and a near-term objective without detailing completion evidence. Without official retirement records or a deployment ledger, the completion condition remains unmet in the public record.
Dates and milestones: The only dated milestone clearly referenced is the FY25 acquisition/deployment of 300 SUAS. No subsequent completion date or cross-USBP deployment timeline is specified in the available sources. The absence of a published retirement date or fleet-wide deployment schedule prevents a definitive completion assessment at this time.
Source reliability: The primary source is a DHS press release dated February 5, 2026, which is an official government outlet but mixes promotional framing with policy statements. Corroboration from additional high-quality sources (CBP, GAO, or DHS program management documents) would strengthen verification of completion. Given the current public record, the report remains cautious about claims of full replacement being completed.
Update · Feb 11, 2026, 05:50 AMin_progress
Claim restated: The Department committed to fully replacing USBP’s drone fleet, following the acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25, as stated by Secretary Noem during a DHS event.
Evidence of progress: DHS communications indicate that 300 small unmanned aircraft systems were acquired and deployed in FY25, a precursor cited by the administration to justify a full fleet replacement. The February 5, 2026 DHS release reiterates the commitment to replace the USBP drone fleet in light of that deployment.
Evidence of completion status: Public records as of February 2026 do not show formal confirmation that the old drone fleet has been retired or that replacement hardware has been fully deployed across USBP field units. The DHS release frames the replacement as a future objective tied to the prior acquisition, but provides no retirement date or rollout milestones.
Dates and milestones: Key dates include FY25 acquisition/deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems and the February 4–5, 2026 DHS events in
Arizona and
North Dakota accompanying the commitment to full replacement. No concrete completion date or fleet retirement schedule is publicly documented.
Reliability and context: The primary source is an official DHS press release, which is appropriate for tracking government commitments. However, the release frames the replacement as a stated goal without publicly verifiable retirement milestones, making the status effectively “in_progress” pending transparent retirement records and deployment audits.
Follow-up note: If available, a follow-up review should verify USBP retirement records for the old fleet and confirm nationwide deployment of the new drones, with an updated completion date if one is established.
Update · Feb 11, 2026, 03:32 AMin_progress
Restatement of claim: The Department committed to fully replacing the U.S. Border Patrol's drone fleet, following the acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25. The February 5, 2026 DHS article reiterates the pledge to replace USBP’s drone fleet, tied to the prior acquisition and deployment of 300 sUAS in FY25. It frames the replacement as a policy goal rather than a completed action.
Progress evidence: DHS communications place the commitment in a timeline tied to the FY25 procurement and subsequent deployments. Independent source material from CBP indicates ongoing activity in small UAS programs, with reports of existing sUAS deployments (over 135 systems in use) and hundreds more in procurement or planned, and a stated aim to expand to as many as 460 drones. This shows substantial activity but not a completed fleet replacement.
Current status and milestones: The CBP Small Drones Program page (Dec 17, 2025) describes active deployment, training, and expansion, including a goal to field hundreds of additional systems and to reach a larger fleet. However, there is no publicly available documentation confirming that the previous USBP drone fleet has been retired and that all USBP units have been equipped with the new systems. The completion condition—retirement of the old fleet and full deployment of the new one—has not been evidenced as achieved.
Reliability and context: The sources are official government channels (DHS, CBP) and describe policy intentions and ongoing procurement rather than a final, verifiable end state. Given the incentives of the agencies to project progress and the absence of a retirement announcement, readers should view the claim as aspirational and contingent on ongoing procurement, testing, and retirement timelines rather than completed as of February 2026.
Update · Feb 11, 2026, 02:48 AMin_progress
Claim restatement: The Department committed to fully replacing the U.S. Border Patrol's drone fleet, citing the acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25. The claim appears in a DHS piece dated 2026-02-05 attributed to Secretary Noem.
Evidence of progress: DHS/CBP materials indicate ongoing deployment and expansion of small UAS, including reports of hundreds of systems in use or procurement as of late 2025, reflecting continued investment rather than retirement of legacy platforms.
Evidence about completion: There is no public documentation showing retirement of the prior drone fleet or a fully deployed replacement across
USBP. No retirement milestone or definitive end date is publicly posted.
Milestones and dates: Available materials note deployment and procurement activity in FY25 and into 2025, with counts like 135 in use and 60 in procurement, and a broader objective to expand toward hundreds of drones; however, no explicit completion date is provided.
Reliability and incentives: Primary sources are official DHS/CBP materials, which describe expansion rather than a completed fleet retirement. The incentives appear to prioritize broader coverage and capability for USBP surveillance, aligning with agency goals rather than a specific handover milestone.
Conclusion: Based on current public records, the claim is best characterized as in_progress, with progress in deployment and procurement but no documented completion or retirement of the prior fleet.
Update · Feb 11, 2026, 12:22 AMin_progress
Restated claim: The Department committed to fully replacing USBP’s drone fleet, following the acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25. The DHS article quotes Secretary Noem framing this as a commitment rather than a completed action, with no completion date provided.
Progress evidence: Public DHS communications confirm the stated commitment to a full fleet replacement and reference prior acquisition/deployment of 300 sUAS in FY25. Independent DHS and CBP program materials indicate ongoing drone deployment and expansion. There is no public record confirming retirement of the entire previous fleet or a completed nationwide deployment of new systems across
USBP.
Current status: As of February 2026, there is no verifiable documentation showing that USBP’s prior drone fleet has been fully retired or that the new drone systems are universally deployed across USBP with formal completion records. The available material describes progress in drones deployment and a strategic commitment, but not completion.
Dates and milestones: The DHS page is dated February 5, 2026, and references acquisition/deployment in FY25 and ongoing collaboration at the border. CBP drone program materials (up to late 2025) describe deployment and training progress toward broader coverage, but not a formal retirement/completion milestone.
Source reliability note: The primary claim source is a DHS press-facing page, which is an official government release; corroborating operational details come from CBP program materials. Together, they support the interpretation that a replacement was being pursued with specific procurement targets, but they do not establish a completed replacement.
Follow-up considerations: If a conclusive fleet retirement and nationwide deployment record becomes publicly available (e.g., USBP asset retirement logs, updated USBP drone inventory), it should be cited to declare formal completion. Until then, the status remains in_progress.
Update · Feb 10, 2026, 10:22 PMin_progress
Claim restatement: The Department committed to fully replacing the U.S. Border Patrol's drone fleet, following the acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25.
Evidence of progress: DHS notes ongoing commitment to replacement, but provides no completion date. CBP reports indicate expansion and procurement of small drones, with 135+ systems deployed and 60 in procurement as of December 2025, and a broader plan to scale toward hundreds of drones.
Current status and milestones: There is no public record confirming retirement of the old fleet or a full, across-the-board replacement across USBP; the transition appears to be underway, not completed.
Reliability and incentives: Official sources are DHS and CBP; they corroborate modernization efforts but lack a concrete completion timeline. The push aligns with border-security capacity goals and resource prioritization, suggesting continued progress toward fleet modernization.
Update · Feb 10, 2026, 08:41 PMin_progress
Claim restatement: The DHS article asserts a commitment to fully replace the U.S. Border Patrol’s drone fleet, following the acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY2025.
Progress evidence: The DHS piece quotes Secretary Noem and references the prior acquisition/deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25, framing replacement as a next step. The CBP small drones program page describes ongoing use, training, and procurement, with thousands of drones planned over time and current deployments noted, but does not confirm a completed fleet retirement or full replacement.
What the evidence shows about completion status: There is no publicly available government documentation confirming that USBP’s previous drone fleet has been retired and that a full nationwide replacement has been completed. DHS highlights a replacement commitment, but CBP materials emphasize gradual modernization rather than a finalized retirement.
Dates and milestones: The DHS release is dated February 5, 2026, noting the FY25 acquisition/deployment of 300 sUAS and a commitment to full replacement. The CBP drones page (Dec 17, 2025) details ongoing deployments and plans toward larger drone capability (e.g., 460 drones), with no retirement milestone published.
Source reliability and incentives: The primary sources are
U.S. federal government outlets (DHS and CBP), which are reliable for stated intentions and program progress. There is no independent verification of fleet retirement, leaving the completion condition unverified.
Overall assessment: Based on publicly verifiable information, the claim remains in_progress. The 300 sUAS acquisition/deployment is cited, but no evidence confirms a completed, nationwide USBP drone fleet replacement as of now.
Update · Feb 10, 2026, 05:38 PMin_progress
Claim restatement: The Department committed to fully replacing USBP’s drone fleet, following the acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25, with the goal of retiring the old fleet and deploying new systems across USBP.
Evidence of progress: DHS communications describe a commitment tied to 300 SUAS and emphasize plans to upgrade USBP drone capabilities as part of border security improvements (DHS article, Feb 5, 2026; CBP small drones program page, Dec 17, 2025). These items show ongoing emphasis on updating SUAS rather than a completed replacement.
Evidence on completion status: There is no public record showing retirement of the prior drone fleet or full deployment of a USBP-wide replacement. The DHS piece frames the replacement as a commitment and notes ongoing technology updates, but does not document retirement milestones or full fleet deployment (DHS article; CBP program page).
Dates and milestones: The DHS piece is dated February 5, 2026 and references FY25 acquisitions and deployment of 300 SUAS; the CBP small drones program page notes activity in December 2025. No documented retirement date or fleet-wide deployment milestone beyond these mentions is publicly available.
Source reliability and neutrality: The sources are official government outlets (DHS.gov, CBP.gov). They provide primary statements of policy and program activity, but do not offer independent verification of fleet retirement. The reporting reflects official claims and framing rather than external corroboration.
Update · Feb 10, 2026, 03:34 PMin_progress
Summary of the claim: The Department of Homeland Security committed to fully replacing USBP’s drone fleet, following the acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25. The claim appears in a February 5, 2026 DHS news release featuring Secretary Noem at the northern and southern borders. The article frames the replacement as a future objective rather than an accomplished action.
Evidence of progress: The DHS release notes the prior acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25 and asserts a commitment to a full fleet replacement. There is no publicly verifiable documentation in major DHS communications indicating that the previous drone fleet has been retired or that new systems are fully deployed across
USBP as of early February 2026.
Evidence of completion, status, or delays: No completion confirmation is visible in the DHS release or other DHS public statements. No official retirement record for the prior fleet or deployment milestones across USBP are cited in the available material. The project appears to be in the planning or execution phase without a published completion date.
Dates and milestones: The source discusses FY25 acquisition and states an intention for replacement afterward, but provides no concrete milestones or a completion date. The current date is 2026-02-10, so if milestones exist, they are not publicly documented in the cited DHS materials.
Source reliability and caveats: The primary source is a DHS press release, an official government communication, which reflects the stated policy position of Secretary Noem and DHS leadership. As with policy pledges and procurement assertions, verifiable progress requires independent records of fleet retirement and fielded replacements, which are not evident in the cited materials.
Update · Feb 10, 2026, 01:52 PMin_progress
Claim restatement: The Department committed to fully replacing USBP’s drone fleet, following the acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25, with the goal of retiring the old fleet and deploying new systems across USBP.
Evidence of progress: DHS/Noem remarks (Feb 5, 2026) state a commitment to a full replacement, anchored to the prior deployment of 300 sUAS in FY25. Independent corroboration of current hardware status points to ongoing procurement and deployment activity rather than a completed replacement. CBP’s own publicly available update indicates active deployment progress and modernization but not completion (March 2025–Dec 2025 timeframe and numbers below).
Current status: As of February 2026, CBP public materials show ongoing expansion rather than retirement of a legacy fleet. A CBP frontline drones program page (Dec 17, 2025) describes more than 135 small UAS in use nationwide, with about 60 more in procurement, and a target of expanding to a total around 460 drones. This level of activity suggests substantial progress, but not a full-fleet retirement and deployment across USBP by that date.
Milestones and dates: The February 2026 DHS briefing quotes 300 sUAS deployed in FY25 as a reference point for the replacement effort. The CBP update from Dec 2025 cites current usage (135+) and ongoing procurement (60-remaining), and a broader plan to scale up to roughly 460 drones. There is no publicly documented completion date or retirement records for the prior fleet.
Source reliability and incentives: The primary sources are DHS/Secretary Noem remarks and CBP program reporting. DHS materials are official government communications; CBP materials are agency-released data on fleet size and procurement. The incentives here appear aligned with border-security modernization and rapid deployment capabilities, not with a specific sunset date for the prior fleet, which aligns with the observed gap between deployed numbers and a complete replacement.
Update · Feb 10, 2026, 12:24 PMin_progress
Claim restatement: DHS Secretary Noem promised the full replacement of USBP’s drone fleet, following the acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25. Evidence of progress: DHS and CBP communications describe ongoing drone program expansion and procurement activity, with public reporting of existing small UAS deployments and plans to scale up, but without a publicly verifiable retirement of the prior fleet. Completion status: No authoritative record confirms a complete retirement of the old drone fleet or a nationwide, fully deployed replacement; the sources show ongoing development rather than finalization. Notable dates and milestones: The DHS February 5, 2026 release reiterates the replacement goal; CBP materials reference activity through 2025–2026, but no explicit completion date is provided. Source reliability: Official DHS and CBP materials are used, but they do not document a closed completion so the status remains uncertain and in_progress.
Update · Feb 10, 2026, 09:52 AMin_progress
Restated claim: The DHS article asserts the USBP drone fleet would be fully replaced, following the acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25. The claim hinges on a complete retirement of the prior fleet and deployment of new systems across USBP. The DHS brief from February 5, 2026 quotes Secretary Noem promising full replacement and cites the prior 300 UAS acquisition as the trigger for that replacement.
The DHS piece on Secretary Noem’s visit states an intention to fully replace USBP’s drone fleet, aligning with a prior claim of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems acquired in FY25. It frames the replacement as a resource provision to regional partners and a continuation of aggressive border enforcement goals.
Public progress indicators show USBP has been deploying small UAS, but the numbers publicly cited by CBP as of late 2025 point to a fleet far smaller than 300 total units in active use. CBP’s Small Drones Program page notes 135+ systems in use and 60 more in procurement, with plans for 460 drones overall in operation over time. This contrasts with the 300-unit milestone referenced in the Noem piece.
There is no clear, publicly available record showing the retirement of USBP’s existing drone fleet or a confirmed full replacement across
USBP as of early 2026. The procurement and deployment figures indicate progress is underway but not at the level of a complete fleet retirement and full deployment cited in the claim.
Concrete milestones or completion dates for retirement of older drones are not visible in current DHS/CBP communications. The 2025 deployment figures and ongoing procurement demonstrate continued investment, but they do not establish a defined completion date or a fully retired fleet.
Reliability and incentives: the DHS Noem statement reflects political framing emphasizing strong border security and the Trump-era stance on border policy. CBP’s publicly posted drone counts and procurement data are more neutral and operation-focused, indicating progress but not a finished replacement. Together, sources present a cautious, ongoing process rather than a finished replacement.
Follow-up status: to determine final completion, a subsequent DHS/CBP update or a procurement retirement log showing full retirement of older platforms and deployment across USBP would be needed. Given current publicly available data, the claim remains aspirational rather than completed as of 2026-02-09.
Update · Feb 10, 2026, 05:44 AMin_progress
Claim restatement: The Department committed to fully replacing the U.S. Border Patrol's drone fleet, following the acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25. Evidence of progress: The DHS release (Feb 5, 2026) quotes Secretary Noem stating a commitment to full replacement of USBP’s drone fleet after the 300 SUAS acquisition/deployment in FY25, and DHS materials describe a broader push toward advanced drone technology. Evidence of completion status: There is no public, verifiable record showing that the USBP fleet has been retired and replaced with a new, fully deployed set; the DHS piece frames the replacement as a future objective rather than a completed action. The DHS page provides no specific milestones, retirement dates, or deployment tallies beyond the referenced 300 SUAS figure, and there are no independent sources confirming retirement of older drones. Reliability note: The DHS release is an official government statement and thus a primary source for the claim; however, it presents the objective and framing rather than a documented completion, and other sources do not yet corroborate a dated retirement/deployment ledger.
Update · Feb 10, 2026, 05:01 AMin_progress
Claim restated: The Department committed to fully replacing the U.S. Border Patrol's drone fleet, following the acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25. The source frames the commitment as a policy from Secretary Noem under President Trump to provide resources for a full fleet replacement.
Progress evidence: DHS and CBP communications indicate that 300 small unmanned aircraft systems were acquired and deployed in FY25, with CBP describing the new drones as standard tools for Border Patrol operations by late 2025 (CBP small drones program page; DHS reporting on Noem’s visit). This shows momentum toward modernization and deployment of new platforms in the field.
Evidence on completion: There is no public record showing that the Border Patrol’s previous drone fleet has been retired or that the entire fleet has been replaced across USBP. No official retirement dates, baselines, or end-state Fleet retirement documentation are publicly available as of early February 2026.
Dates and milestones: Acquisition and deployment of 300 sUAS occurred in FY25 (per DHS release and related CBP materials dated 2025). The source article from DHS (Feb 5, 2026) reiterates the stated commitment but does not provide a completion date or retirement milestone, leaving the end-state status unresolved.
Source reliability and caveats: The primary citations are a DHS press post and a CBP program page, both official
U.S. government sources with current operational context. Absence of a formal retirement or fleet-end-state announcement means interpretation hinges on whether “fully replacing” requires complete retirement of all legacy systems, which has not been evidenced publicly.
Overall assessment: Based on available public information, the claim is best categorized as in_progress. The acquisition and deployment of 300 sUAS demonstrate advancement toward fleet modernization, but there is no public confirmation that the entire old drone fleet has been retired or that a full replacement is complete.
Update · Feb 09, 2026, 11:47 PMin_progress
What the claim states: The Department committed to fully replacing the U.S. Border Patrol's drone fleet, following the acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25. The stated completion condition is that the entire USBP drone fleet is retired and replaced with new systems across
USBP, with no explicit projected completion date.
Evidence of progress: The DHS article (Feb 5, 2026) quotes Secretary Noem reiterating the commitment to replacement after the 300 SUAS acquisition in FY25. CBP’s own Small Drones Program materials describe ongoing deployment, with numbers such as hundreds of systems in use or procured and plans for expanded drone coverage, but do not confirm a complete retirement of the old fleet. News and CBP materials from late 2025 show continued procurement and fielding rather than a guaranteed full-fl eet retirement.
Current status and milestones: There is a publicly documented commitment to replace the fleet, but no verifiable, public record demonstrating that all of USBP’s previous drones have been retired and that a universally deployed, fully replaced fleet is in place as of early 2026. Reported figures (e.g., 135+ in use, 60 in procurement, aims for hundreds more) indicate expansion rather than completion of a full replacement. The completion date remains unspecified and the replacement appears to be an ongoing, multi-year effort.
Reliability of sources: The primary source confirming the pledge is the DHS press release (Feb 5, 2026). CBP’s official Small Drones Program page (Dec 2025) provides context on current operations and fleet growth but does not verify full retirement of the prior fleet. Coverage from reputable outlets and official government sites aligns on ongoing deployment and expansion rather than a completed replacement.
Incentives and context: The claim is framed around enhancing protective capability and resource provisioning for USBP, consistent with CBP’s mission priorities. The absence of a clearly published retirement date or fleet-wide handover suggests continued emphasis on procurement and deployment pace, possibly influenced by budget cycles, technology refresh rates, and operational testing results. Given the incentives to demonstrate progress, the lack of a retirement milestone publicized to date supports an in_progress assessment.
Update · Feb 09, 2026, 09:49 PMin_progress
The claim restates DHS Secretary Noem’s pledge to fully replace the USBP drone fleet, following the reported acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25. The DHS article from February 5, 2026 ties the promise to that prior FY25 action but provides no evidence that the old fleet has been retired or that a full replacement is complete. Public records checked show ongoing procurement activity and policy discussions around USBP UAS, but no published retirement ledger or fleet-wide deployment confirmation as of February 2026. (DHS.gov, 2026-02-05)
Update · Feb 09, 2026, 08:17 PMin_progress
Claim restatement: The article asserts a DHS commitment to fully replace USBP's drone fleet, following the acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25, with the completion condition being retirement of the old fleet and deployment of new systems across USBP.
Evidence of progress: DHS communications publish a February 5, 2026 statement tying the replacement commitment to the 300 sUAS acquired and deployed in FY25. The DHS page frames this as an ongoing commitment rather than a finished procurement or fleet retirement milestone. CBP materials from 2025 describe existing drone deployments and a multi-year plan to expand the sUAS fleet, including numbers in use (e.g., 135+ in use, 60 in procurement) and a target of hundreds more, but do not document a completed fleet retirement.
Current status assessment: There is no public, verifiable record showing USBP’s previous drone fleet has been retired or that a full, department-wide replacement has been completed. Public DHS/CBP sources describe active procurement, deployment, and expansion of small drones, but also indicate ongoing acquisition and ongoing operations rather than final retirement of legacy platforms.
Dates and milestones: FY25 procurement of 300 sUAS is cited as the benchmark that prompted the replacement commitment (FY25) with a completion narrative lacking a concrete date. CBP’s late-2025 materials cite deployment progress and an eventual plan to expand to around 460 drones, implying continued rollout rather than completion. Reliability note: DHS and CBP sources are official government outlets, providing contemporaneous policy and program details, but they describe ongoing actions rather than a completed replacement.
Follow-up note: Given the absence of a retirement milestone or a defined completion date, the claim remains in_progress. A future update should confirm whether USBP has formally retired its prior fleet and completed deployment across all USBP components, ideally with fleet retirement records or agency-wide status reports.
Update · Feb 09, 2026, 05:31 PMin_progress
Claim restatement: The Department committed to fully replacing the USBP drone fleet, citing the acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25. Evidence shows the DHS article from February 5, 2026 reiterates this commitment and notes the prior step of acquiring and deploying 300 sUAS in FY25, framing the replacement as a policy objective rather than a completed action (DHS, 2026-02-05). Public CBP materials describe an active Small Drones Program with ongoing deployments and procurement, including mentions of 135+ systems in use and 60 more in procurement, but do not confirm a full retirement of older UAVs or a completed fleet replacement (CBP, Dec 17, 2025).
Update · Feb 09, 2026, 03:25 PMin_progress
The claim asserts that the U.S. Department committed to fully replacing the U.S. Border Patrol's drone fleet, anchored to the prior acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25. The public record shows a policy commitment tied to modernization rather than an end-state guaranteed by a fixed date (DHS press release, 2026-02-05). It frames the objective as a replacement of the USBP drone fleet once the 300 UAS were acquired and deployed in FY25 (DHS).
Evidence of progress indicates a shift from testing toward broader deployment of small UAS within the Border Patrol and CBP, with reporting that CBP has moved toward expanding drone use. A CBP Frontline piece (Dec 17, 2025) describes ongoing deployment and procurement, noting that the Border Patrol has over 135 systems in use with 60 more in procurement and plans to reach a total of hundreds of drones (up to 460 noted in the article). This shows significant expansion, but not a formal retirement of an incumbent fleet or a completed, entire fleet replacement (CBP article).
There is no publicly available confirmation that USBP’s entire drone fleet has been retired or that a full nationwide replacement across
USBP has been completed as of February 2026. The DHS press release (Feb 5, 2026) repeats the commitment to the full replacement, but does not provide a completion date or evidence of retirement of prior assets. The absence of a retirement milestone in official documents and the CBP deployment updates suggest the effort remains in_progress rather than complete (DHS press release; CBP Small Drones Program).
Concrete milestones cited include the FY25 acquisition of 300 small UAS and the December 2025 deployment/ procurement progress indicating broader use and scale (FY25 purchase figure; CBP frontline article). The DHS release situates the policy intent but does not supply a dated completion timeline, while the CBP deployment reports reflect expansion rather than retirement of legacy platforms.
Source reliability appears high for the statements at hand: the DHS 2026 press release is an official government communication, and the CBP frontline article is an official CBP publication documenting program progress. Both sources align on the direction of drone modernization but disagree on a completed retirement of the prior fleet by early 2026, suggesting the claim is not yet fulfilled.
If the policy remains active, the likely status is continued replacement and expansion with ongoing retirement of older assets contingent on asset availability, budget, and deployment logistics. A follow-up should verify USBP fleet retirement records and any current deployment equivalence across USBP sectors with updated procurement or retirement data (official DHS/CBP disclosures).
Update · Feb 09, 2026, 01:53 PMin_progress
Claim restatement: The Department committed to fully replacing the U.S. Border Patrol's drone fleet, citing the acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25.
Evidence of progress: DHS and CBP publicly describe ongoing procurement and deployment of small UAS, with reporting that the Border Patrol has over 135 systems in use and about 60 more in procurement as of December 2025, and plans that could expand the fleet toward hundreds more.
Current status: Public records show substantial deployment activity and a stated commitment to full replacement, but there is no publicly released confirmation that the prior drone fleet has been retired or that a complete replacement milestone has been achieved.
Completion prospects: The February 2026 DHS piece reiterates the goal of full replacement after the FY25 300-system deployment, yet provides no specific completion date or retirement date for the old fleet.
Reliability note: Sources include DHS press material and CBP program reporting; both are official government outlets, but neither provides a dated, verifiable retirement milestone for the prior fleet.
Context on incentives: The claim aligns with broader CBP modernization goals and the administration’s border security emphasis, which could influence procurement pacing and fleet retirement timelines.
Update · Feb 09, 2026, 12:06 PMin_progress
Claim restatement: The DHS article asserts a commitment to fully replace USBP’s drone fleet, following the acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25. It implies replacement would occur across USBP once those 300 systems are in place.
Progress evidence: DHS materials show ongoing drone use and procurement rather than a completed fleet replacement. A February 5, 2026 DHS release repeats the commitment but does not document retirement of the prior fleet or full deployment across USBP. CBP materials from December 17, 2025 note 135 systems in use and ~60 more in procurement, with broader goals, not a completed USBP-wide retirement.
Status assessment: No publicly verifiable record shows USBP’s prior drone fleet retired or a full, agency-wide replacement completed. Available sources indicate incremental procurement and deployment rather than a single completion milestone.
Dates/milestones: The Dec 17, 2025 CBP piece indicates ongoing expansion. The Feb 5, 2026 DHS release reiterates the objective and the 300 UAS in FY25 but provides no completion date or retirement milestones. Source reliability rests on official DHS/CBP statements; independent corroboration appears limited.
Update · Feb 09, 2026, 09:46 AMin_progress
Claim restated: The Department committed to fully replacing the U.S. Border Patrol's drone fleet, following the acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) in FY25.
Evidence of progress: The DHS press release dated February 5, 2026 explicitly notes the commitment to a full replacement of USBP’s drone fleet, in the context of the 300 sUAS acquired and deployed in FY25 (DHS, Feb 2026). This demonstrates movement on planning and resource allocation, but does not independently verify fleet retirement or deployment across
USBP.
Evidence of completion status: There is no public record confirming that the previous drone fleet has been retired or that new systems are fully deployed across USBP as of early February 2026. No official post-FY25 retirement milestone or deployment map has been published to indicate completion.
Dates and milestones: The key milestone cited is the acquisition/deployment of 300 sUAS in FY25, with a public DHS statement on Feb 5, 2026 tying this to a broader pledge of full fleet replacement. Completion date remains unspecified and no retirement record is publicly accessible.
Source reliability and limits: The primary source is a DHS official press release, which is appropriate for assessing government commitments but does not independently corroborate fleet retirement. The absence of independent deployment data means the status remains unresolved beyond the stated commitment.
Conclusion: Based on available public documents, the claim is best characterized as in_progress rather than complete, with a stated commitment contingent on ongoing procurement and subsequent deployment rather than a finalized retirement of the prior fleet.
Update · Feb 09, 2026, 05:00 AMin_progress
Claim restatement: The DHS article asserts that under Secretary Noem, the Department is committed to fully replacing USBP’s drone fleet, building on the acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25. The February 2026 DHS statement frames this as a continuing commitment rather than a completed action.
Evidence of progress: Public DHS/CBP materials indicate ongoing deployment and expansion of small UAS at the border, with CBP reporting more than 135 UAS in use and dozens more in procurement as of late 2025, and plans to expand the network beyond 460 drones in operation. This shows substantial activity toward broader drone use but does not prove fleet retirement and full replacement across
USBP yet.
Evidence on completion status: There is no publicly available record showing that the USBP’s prior drone fleet has been retired or that a complete, across-the-board replacement has occurred. The DHS release describes a commitment to replacement, not a completed transition, and reporting to date centers on procurement and deployment rather than retirement of older systems.
Dates and milestones: Notable milestones include the FY25 deployment of 300 small UAS referenced in the claim, and December 2025 CBP deployment/usage expansion. No public milestone confirms fleet retirement or full replacement.
Reliability and sources: Official DHS/CBP materials corroborate ongoing use and expansion of small UAS, but they describe progress and commitments rather than a finished fleet replacement as of early 2026. The incentives of security-focused agencies may emphasize progress and capability gains in communications.
Follow-up note: A formal update or retirement records from USBP would be needed to confirm completion.
Update · Feb 09, 2026, 03:01 AMin_progress
Claim restatement: The DHS press release asserts a commitment to fully replace USBP’s drone fleet, following the acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25. It frames this as part of Secretary Noem’s approach to bolster border security with new drone capabilities. The claim implies a complete retirement of the old fleet and deployment of new systems across
USBP, with no explicit completion date.
Evidence of progress: Public DHS and CBP materials show ongoing drone acquisition and deployment efforts. A DHS press release (Feb 5, 2026) explicitly cites the commitment to “full replacement” after the FY25 300-sUAS deployment. A CBP frontlines feature (Dec 17, 2025) describes a growing drone fleet with about 135 systems in use and 60 more in procurement, and notes plans culminating in a larger fleet (up to ~460 drones). These items indicate substantial activity but not final retirement of the prior fleet.
Current status of completion: There is no public evidence that USBP’s entire drone fleet has been retired and replaced as of February 2026. The CBP article shows a multi-year ramp with incremental deployments and ongoing procurement, while the DHS statement anchors an intended future full replacement without a concrete completion date. The available material suggests substantial progress but not completion.
Milestones and dates: December 2025: CBP reports 135 sUAS in use and 60 in procurement, with a target of expanding toward a larger fleet (up to 460). February 5, 2026: DHS reiterates the commitment to full replacement following the FY25 300-sUAS deployment. These items provide a trajectory but no retirements timeline or retirement-date details.
Source reliability note: The DHS.gov release is an official government document directly reflecting the claim, while CBP’s own Frontline feature provides operational context and counts. Cross-checks with additional CBP statements would strengthen verification, but no major reputable outlet contradicts the stated plan. Overall, sources are primary government communications with credible detail on progress and aims.
Update · Feb 09, 2026, 01:15 AMin_progress
Claim restatement: The Department pledged to fully replace USBP’s drone fleet, asserting that 300 small unmanned aircraft systems were acquired and deployed in FY25 to support the effort.
Evidence of progress: DHS and CBP materials acknowledge ongoing deployment of small UAS across
USBP, with CBP noting active systems and procurement activity. A CBP front-line feature (Dec 17, 2025) states USBP operates more than 135 SUAS and has about 60 more in procurement, it does not confirm a 300-system deployment in FY25, introducing ambiguity about the exact scale achieved.
Evidence of completion status: There is no public record confirming retirement of the prior drone fleet or a completed, nationwide replacement across USBP. The February 5, 2026 DHS release reiterates the commitment to a full replacement, framing it as a future objective rather than a completed action. No official retirement dates or deployment summaries indicate full fleet retirement to date.
Dates and milestones: The DHS article is dated February 5, 2026 and references prior acquisition/deployment of 300 SUAS in FY25, but a December 2025 CBP update shows 135 active systems and 60 in procurement, suggesting progress is ongoing rather than complete. No concrete milestone confirming fleet retirement of the old systems is publicly published.
Source reliability and incentives: The claim relies on official DHS/CBP communications, credible for policy statements but with limited concrete fleet-retirement data. Given the explicit emphasis on a future replacement and the discrepancy between the cited 300 SUAS and the 135 active/60 procurement figures, available evidence supports a staged transition rather than a completed replacement.
Update · Feb 08, 2026, 11:30 PMin_progress
Claim restatement: The DHS article quotes a commitment to fully replace USBP’s drone fleet, following the acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25.
Evidence of progress: DHS and CBP materials show the 300 SUAS milestone referenced and describe ongoing deployment and expansion of small drones, but do not document retirement of the old fleet or a completed replacement.
Current status: There is no publicly verifiable record showing USBP’s entire drone fleet has been fully replaced or that the prior fleet has been retired.
Dates and milestones: The DHS release is dated February 5, 2026 and cites FY25 acquisitions; CBP’s late-2025 materials describe continued growth in drone capacity but stop short of a completed replacement.
Source reliability: The claim originates from a DHS press release (government source) and is corroborated by CBP’s program materials that describe ongoing deployments; neither source confirms a final, completed retirement of the prior fleet.
Follow-up note: Due to absence of a documented completion date or retirement record, the status remains in_progress. A targeted follow-up in late 2026 would help confirm whether a full replacement with retirements has occurred.
Update · Feb 08, 2026, 09:03 PMin_progress
The claim states that the Department committed to fully replacing USBP’s drone fleet, following the acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25. The DHS press release from February 5, 2026, quotes Secretary Noem promising a full replacement of USBP’s drone fleet after the 300 UAS acquisition in FY25, but it does not provide verifiable milestones or a completion date.
Publicly available official material confirms the stated commitment but does not show concrete progress milestones or the retirement of the prior fleet. There is no independently verifiable record (as of the current date) demonstrating that USBP’s entire drone fleet has been retired and replaced with new systems across USBP, nor a deployment log or fleet retirement docket.
The source material presents a political/administrative pledge tied to earlier procurement activity, yet lacks a completion certificate, a decommissioning record for the old fleet, or a deployment-wide rollout timeline. Given the absence of corroborating procurement, deployment, or retirement data from USBP or DHS components, the status remains unverified as completed.
Concrete dates or milestones (e.g., retirement of the old fleet, deployment of new platforms to USBP sectors, or certification of operational readiness) are not publicly documented in widely accessible, high-quality outlets beyond the issuing DHS piece. The reliability weight rests on the DHS release itself, which is an official source but does not independently confirm fulfillment.
Overall, the claim is best characterized as in_progress: the outlined commitment exists in official rhetoric, but independent, verifiable progress milestones or completion evidence have not been publicly documented to date. Until DHS or USBP publish retirement records and deployment metrics, the status cannot be confirmed as complete.
Update · Feb 08, 2026, 07:37 PMin_progress
Restatement of the claim: The DHS/USBP plan includes a complete replacement of the U.S. Border Patrol drone fleet, following the acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25.
Evidence of progress: The DHS press release from February 5, 2026 notes that Secretary Noem discussed “the full replacement of USBP’s drone fleet, following the acquisition and deployment of 300 small, unmanned aircraft systems in FY25,” indicating an identified milestone (the 300 SUAS) has occurred and was publicly announced in conjunction with border-security messaging. This establishes that the prior procurement and deployment step occurred and was acknowledged by DHS at that time.
Evidence on completion status: There is no public DHS or USBP release indicating that the entire prior drone fleet has been retired or that new systems are fully deployed across USBP with fleet-wide replacement completed. The source emphasizes the commitment and a prior procurement milestone, but provides no definitive retirement date, hardware retirement records, or full-scale deployment confirmation across all USBP units. Absent a retirement/field deployment certification or a conclusive completion announcement, the project remains unclear as to final completion.
Dates and milestones: The key cited milestone is FY25 acquisition and deployment of 300 SUAS. The article date is February 2026, but no projected or explicit completion date for full fleet replacement is provided. The lack of a documented retirement of the old fleet or a nationwide deployment clearance leaves the status as in_progress rather than complete.
Source reliability note: The primary source is a DHS official press release, a government publication, which is typically a reliable indicator of policy intent and stated milestones. Cross-checking with independent procurement records or USBP program updates would strengthen verification, but current publicly available DHS material does not show a completed fleet replacement.
Update · Feb 08, 2026, 05:11 PMin_progress
Claim restatement: The Department committed to fully replacing the U.S. Border Patrol's drone fleet, following the acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25, with the goal of retiring the old fleet and deploying new systems across USBP. The DHS brief and related statements frame this as a continuing policy objective tied to Secretary Noem and President Trump’s administration.
Evidence of progress: DHS public materials acknowledge ongoing efforts to modernize USBP’s SUAS program. The CBP small drones program page (Dec 17, 2025) describes current inventory levels (roughly 135 systems in use, about 60 more in procurement) and outlines a plan to expand toward a larger fleet (plans to reach around 460 drones). This indicates substantial activity and trajectory toward expansion, but not a retired, fully replaced fleet as of early 2026.
Evidence on completion status: There is no public record showing that USBP’s entire prior drone fleet has been retired or that a full fleet replacement has been completed. The CBP page emphasizes ongoing procurement and scaling toward a larger capability, rather than retirement of an obsolete fleet. The February 5, 2026 DHS release reiterates the commitment to full replacement, but provides no milestone or retirement date, suggesting the replacement remains in progress.
Dates and milestones: The most concrete publicly available milestones are the December 2025 CBP updates describing 135 active SUAS, 60 in procurement, and a target expansion toward 460 drones, plus the February 2026 DHS note reinforcing the policy stance. No end date or retirement date for the old fleet is publicly published.
Source reliability note: Information from DHS and CBP is primary, official government material, suitable for assessing policy trajectory. Coverage from independent outlets (e.g., industry-focused drones reporting) corroborates a shift toward smaller SUAS and larger procurement, but does not establish a completed replacement. The combination supports a status of ongoing progress toward fleet replacement rather than completion.
Update · Feb 08, 2026, 03:13 PMin_progress
Claim restatement: The DHS article cites a commitment to fully replace the U.S. Border Patrol's drone fleet, following the acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25. The stated goal is a complete fleet replacement with prior drones retired and new systems in use across USBP. Evidence of progress: The DHS piece from February 5, 2026 notes the replacement commitment and references a prior acquisition/deployment of 300 sUAS in FY25, but it does not provide concrete, verifiable milestones, procurement receipts, retirements of the old fleet, or deployment data showing USBP-wide replacement has occurred. Evidence of completion, ongoing status, or failure: As of early February 2026, there is no public record from DHS, CBP, or USBP confirming that the entire USBP drone fleet has been retired and that new UAV systems are deployed nationwide within USBP. The DHS article itself presents the commitment but not a completion statement or a timeline beyond FY25 activities. Dates and milestones: The only explicit date is the release date of the DHS article (Feb 5, 2026) and the reference to FY25 acquisitions/deployments. No subsequent milestones (fleet retirement dates, regional deployments, or inventory reports) are publicly documented in accessible DHS/CBP materials. Source reliability and interpretation: The primary source is a DHS press page, which is an official government statement but offers no independent verification of fleet retirement or nationwide deployment. There is a lack of corroborating procurement or deployment logs from CBP USBP or DoD/EOD records, making it difficult to confirm completion. Given the incentives in political messaging around border security and Noem’s stated priorities, the claim should be read as a policy pledge rather than a completed program at this time. Overall assessment: At present, the claim is best characterized as in_progress.
Update · Feb 08, 2026, 01:30 PMin_progress
Claim restatement: The Department committed to fully replacing USBP’s drone fleet, citing prior acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25.
Public progress evidence shows the Department has not announced a complete fleet retirement or full deployment across
USBP as of early 2026; instead, updates describe ongoing procurement and expansion of the SUAS program.
DHS-linked reporting and CBP materials indicate a multi-year replacement trajectory rather than a completed transition (DHS 2026-02-05; CBP 2025-12-17).
Evidence of progress: CBP’s small drones program notes ongoing procurement and field deployment with a stated goal of expanding to hundreds of systems; as of December 17, 2025, the program described roughly 135 systems in use and about 60 in procurement, with plans to scale up to 460 drones total (CBP frontline page).
Evidence of completion status: There is no public confirmation that the previous drone fleet has been retired or that a full nationwide replacement is complete. The February 2026 DHS release repeats the commitment but provides no milestone or retirement date, and CBP materials describe ongoing procurement and gradual expansion rather than a completed replacement.
Reliability note: Sources include the DHS press release and the CBP Small Drones program page—both official government outlets, but they describe ongoing capability development and procurement rather than a finalized retirement of the prior fleet. The incentives for demonstrating progress align with border security enhancements and procurement pacing (DHS 2026-02-05; CBP 2025-12-17).
Update · Feb 08, 2026, 12:03 PMin_progress
Claim restated: The Department committed to fully replacing the U.S. Border Patrol's drone fleet, following the acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25. The DHS article from Feb 5, 2026 reiterates this commitment, linking it to Secretary Noem and President Trump’s policy frame (DHS, 2026-02-05). Public evidence shows progress is partial and the fleet is not yet fully replaced as of early 2026 (DHS article; CBP Small Drones Program update).
Evidence of progress: CBP indicates ongoing deployment and procurement of small unmanned aircraft systems, with a reported 135 systems in use and 60 more in procurement as of Dec 17, 2025, across
USBP, plus a broader plan to expand to around 460 drones (CBP Frontline feature, 2025-12-17). This demonstrates substantial expansion, but does not show retirement of the prior fleet.
Current status vs. completion: There is no public record of the previous drone fleet being retired and a full replacement completed. The CBP update describes ongoing acquisition and deployment, not a retire-and-replace milestone, and the DHS statement projects future replacement rather than documenting a completed handoff (CBP Frontline; DHS News, 2026-02-05).
Dates and milestones: Key milestones include the December 2025 CBP report of 135 in use, 60 in procurement, and an expansion target toward 460 drones; the February 5, 2026 DHS release reiterates the commitment to full replacement but provides no new completion date. These suggest a multi-year transition rather than a near-term completion (CBP Frontline; DHS News, 2026-02-05).
Source reliability and incentives: The primary sources are official DHS and CBP outlets, reducing bias risk but reflecting policy framing with political incentives tied to the “full replacement” pledge. Given the absence of retirement records, the completion claim remains uncertain; the credible signal is ongoing expansion rather than final fleet retirement (DHS 2026-02-05; CBP 2025-12-17).
Update · Feb 08, 2026, 09:50 AMin_progress
Summary of the claim: The DHS-NOEm line states a goal to fully replace USBP’s drone fleet, following the acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25. Public records confirm the 300-sUAS acquisition occurred in FY25 and that DHS/CBP frame the replacement as a policy objective, not a completed action. The completion condition—retirement of the old fleet and full deployment of new systems across USBP—has not been demonstrated as achieved in verifiable records as of early 2026. The overall framing remains aspirational rather than an established end-state with verifiable retirement milestones.
Evidence of progress: DHS communications accompanying Secretary Noem’s February 2026 visit emphasize a continued focus on border technology, including the stated goal of fully replacing USBP’s drone fleet after the 300-sUAS acquisition (DHS press release, 2026-02-05). Separately, CBP’s internal reporting (Dec 2025) shows ongoing expansion of small-drone usage—over 135 systems in use and 60 more in procurement, with plans to scale toward hundreds of additional platforms (CBP, Small Drones Program, 2025-12-17). These sources indicate movement toward greater drone adoption but stop short of confirming retirement of the prior fleet.
Status of completion: There is no public, verifiable record showing that USBP’s entire drone fleet has been retired and replaced with the new systems. DHS language frames the replacement as an objective tied to FY25 purchases, but no milestone date or retirement ledger is publicly published. Therefore, the completion condition appears not yet satisfied according to available official documentation (DHS, 2026-02-05; CBP, 2025-12-17).
Dates and milestones: FY25 saw the 300-sUAS acquisition referenced by DHS as the catalyst for replacement plans (DHS, 2026-02-05). By December 2025, CBP reported substantial drone deployment and procurement activity, with a stated long-term target of expanding to hundreds of drones (CBP, 2025-12-17). No explicit retirement date or fleet-wide replacement milestone is published in official sources through early 2026.
Source reliability and incentives: The primary sources are official DHS and CBP communications, which are appropriate for assessing a
U.S. government procurement and deployment program. The DHS release explicitly ties the replacement to the FY25 300-sUAS purchase, suggesting policy-driven incentives to modernize equipment. The CBP program page provides operational context and timelines, reinforcing progress but not confirming completion. Together, they present a credible but incomplete picture of completion (DHS, 2026-02-05; CBP, 2025-12-17).
Bottom line: The claim is not yet supported by public records as completed. Progress is evident in the procurement and expanded use of drones, and the replacement is framed as an ongoing objective rather than a finalized transition. If a future status update confirms retirement of older platforms and full deployment across
USBP, that would meet the stated completion condition (DHS, 2026-02-05; CBP, 2025-12-17).
Update · Feb 08, 2026, 05:21 AMin_progress
Claim restatement: The DHS article asserts that there is a commitment to fully replacing USBP’s drone fleet, following the acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25, with the completion condition being retirement of the old fleet and deployment of new systems across USBP.
Evidence of progress: DHS coverage (Feb 5, 2026) notes the commitment but does not provide a verifiable completion status or retirement milestones for the prior fleet. Public CBP materials indicate ongoing drone expansion and procurement rather than a completed replacement, including active use of small drones and a program that plans to deploy hundreds of additional systems.
Current status and milestones: CBP’s small drones program (Dec 17, 2025) shows USBP operating 135+ drones with 60 more in procurement and a broader plan to deploy around 460 drones, signaling growth and modernization but not a retired legacy fleet as completed.
Reliability note: There is no public record by February 2026 confirming the retirement of the prior drone fleet or a fully completed replacement across
USBP; the available sources describe ongoing procurement and expansion consistent with an in_progress status.
Update · Feb 08, 2026, 02:57 AMin_progress
The claim asserts a Department commitment to fully replace the U.S. Border Patrol's drone fleet, following the acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25, with completion defined as retirement of the old fleet and deployment of new systems across USBP. The DHS statement from February 5, 2026 reiterates the pledge to replace USBP’s drone fleet and notes the prior acquisition and deployment of 300 sUAS in FY25, tying the replacement to those actions. However, there is no public documentation showing that the entire USBP drone fleet has been retired or that a full replacement is complete as of early February 2026. CBP’s own materials describe ongoing small drone operations, current inventory, and procurement plans, indicating the program remains underway rather than finished. Official DHS coverage emphasizes progress and continued modernization rather than completion, suggesting the replacement is still in progress with milestones to come. Reliability of sources is high (DHS and CBP primary communications), though the DHS page itself confirms the goal rather than a proven completed status.
Update · Feb 08, 2026, 01:28 AMin_progress
Claim restatement: The Department committed to fully replacing the USBP drone fleet, following the acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25. The article quotes Secretary Noem promising a full replacement and cites the prior acquisition/deployment of 300 SUAS in FY25 as a context for that commitment. There is no explicit completion date attached to the replacement plan in the article. DHS 2026-02-05 (Two Borders, One Day) provides the commitment but does not confirm completion.
Evidence of progress: CBP’s small drones program page (Dec 17, 2025) describes ongoing deployment and procurement of SUAS, noting about 135 systems in use, 60 more in procurement, and an eventual aim of around 460 drones overall. This demonstrates expansion and modernization of the fleet, but does not document a full retirement of older platforms or a completed fleet replacement. The program narrative emphasizes increased coverage and training, not a certified handover to new systems for every USBP unit.
Evidence regarding completion status: There is no public record confirming that USBP’s entire drone fleet has been retired and replaced with the new systems. The CBP page repeatedly frames the effort as ongoing modernization with growing counts (in use and in procurement) rather than a completed replacement. No official retirement timeline or retirement records for the prior fleet are cited in the sources reviewed.
Dates and milestones: The most concrete milestones are (a) December 2025 status of drone counts (135 in use, 60 in procurement) and (b) stated aim to expand to a larger, more persistent fleet (up to ~460 drones) as part of the program. The DHS article (Feb 2026) reiterates commitment but does not add a hard completion date or a retirement milestone. These dates indicate progress, but not completion.
Reliability and balance of sources: The analysis relies on official
U.S. government sources (DHS/CBP) that describe ongoing drone modernization and commitments from leadership. While these sources are authoritative for government programs, they do not provide a verifiable retirement record or a completed replacement to date. The available evidence supports ongoing progress rather than a completed fleet replacement.
Update · Feb 07, 2026, 11:22 PMin_progress
Restated claim: The Department committed to fully replacing the U.S. Border Patrol's drone fleet, citing the acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25.
Evidence of progress: CBP publicly describes a growing small drones program, with over 135 systems in use and 60 more in procurement as of late 2025, and plans to expand toward a larger, more persistent network. The agency notes a trajectory toward broader fleet deployment and ongoing procurement efforts (CBP Small Drones Program, Dec 17, 2025; DHS CBP communication materials).
Evidence on completion status: There is no public record showing that a prior drone fleet has been retired or that a full fleet replacement has been completed by early 2026. Materials indicate ongoing procurement and deployment, with a target scale larger than 300 units and a plan to reach about 460 drones, but no retirement of older systems is documented (CBP program materials, Dec 2025).
Milestones and dates: December 17, 2025 marks a key update signaling expansion from dozens to hundreds of drones and ongoing rollout; no formal completion announcement exists as of 2026-02. Reliability note: CBP is the primary source for drone program status; independent verification of retirement status is not found in public records reviewed.
Update · Feb 07, 2026, 09:12 PMin_progress
Restatement of the claim: The Department committed to fully replacing the U.S. Border Patrol's drone fleet, following the acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25. The claim frames a complete fleet replacement as a near-term outcome tied to the FY25 sUAS procurement milestone.
Evidence of progress: Public DHS/CBP materials indicate ongoing deployment and expansion of small unmanned aircraft systems, with CBP reporting existing sUAS deployments and procurement activity into late 2025. A CBP frontline feature from December 17, 2025 notes Border Patrol has 135 systems in use with 60 more in procurement and outlines plans to grow the drone fleet, including a broad deployment approach rather than a wholesale retirement of older platforms. A DHS/CBP page on the small drones program emphasizes continued use and training rather than a stated retirement of an entire prior fleet.
Evidence of completion, progress, or failure: There is no public record showing a complete retirement of the prior drone fleet or a formal statement that the entire USBP drone fleet has been retired and replaced with new systems. The available materials describe ongoing procurement, training, and deployment, and reference a target of hundreds of drones and broader use across
USBP rather than a completed fleet replacement.
Dates and milestones: The relevant timeframe centers on FY25 procurement and late-2025 deployment indicators (e.g., 300 sUAS cited in the article’s framing). Official CBP/OIG materials discuss the sUAS program and Border Patrol use, but do not show a conclusive completion date or a retirement milestone for the old fleet. The lack of a completion date and retirement record suggests the project remains in progress rather than finished.
Source reliability and notes: The central claim is drawn from a DHS/CBP article published Feb 5, 2026, which itself references prior acquisition activity (FY25). Independent checks include a CBP frontline article (Dec 17, 2025) and an DHS OIG evaluation of CBP’s sUAS program, which together indicate ongoing deployment and oversight but not a completed fleet replacement. Given the incentives of the agencies to emphasize modernization and the absence of retirement records, the evidence supports ongoing progression rather than completion.
Update · Feb 07, 2026, 07:29 PMin_progress
Claim restatement: The Department committed to fully replacing the U.S. Border Patrol's drone fleet, following the acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) in FY25. The source article (DHS, Feb 5, 2026) quotes Secretary Noem asserting a commitment to a full fleet replacement for USBP after the 300 sUAS acquisition.
Evidence of progress: DHS communications indicate a concrete procurement effort around 300 sUAS in FY25, and CBP/USBP have outlined broader modernization and expansion plans for unmanned systems as part of ongoing border-security strategy updates (e.g., the 2025–2029 Border Patrol Strategy). Publicly available material shows the transition from test-and-procure phases to broader deployment of drones within CBP, but does not document retirement of older fleets.
Evidence on completion status: There is no publicly verifiable record showing USBP has retired its entire previous drone fleet or that a completed replacement with new systems has occurred. The DHS piece frames the replacement as a committed objective, not a confirmed completed action, and no retirement milestone or deployment map is published to confirm full fleet retirement.
Dates and milestones: The claim references FY25 acquisition/deployment of 300 sUAS, and the DHS article is dated 2026-02-05. Beyond that, formal completion milestones (e.g., retirement of old assets, full deployment nationwide across
USBP sectors) are not publicly documented. The Border Patrol Strategy and related DHS/CBP procurement updates discuss modernization but stop short of a finalized completion date.
Source reliability and interpretation: The principal source is a DHS news release, which is a primary actor in this context and appropriate for framing policy intent. Supplementary context from CBP strategy documents reinforces ongoing modernization efforts but does not provide a definitive completion check. Given the absence of a retirement-confirmation in official records, the claim is best characterized as in_progress rather than complete.
Follow-up note: If newer procurement or fleet retirement records become publicly available, a follow-up assessment should verify whether the previous fleet has been retired and new systems deployed across USBP as per the stated completion condition.
Update · Feb 07, 2026, 05:00 PMin_progress
Brief restatement: The DHS article quotes a commitment to fully replace USBP’s drone fleet, following the acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25. The claim ties the replacement to the prior FY25 procurement milestone.
Evidence of progress: The DHS release (Feb 5, 2026) confirms that 300 small unmanned aircraft systems were acquired and deployed in FY25, and that Secretary Noem highlighted plans including a full replacement of USBP’s drone fleet at border sites in
Arizona and
North Dakota. This demonstrates a concrete procurement milestone and a stated objective tied to those systems.
Evidence of completion status: There is no publicly available, independently verifiable record showing that the USBP’s prior drone fleet has been retired and replaced across
USBP with new systems. DHS materials emphasize the commitment and the FY25 acquisition, but do not document a retire/replace completion or provide a fleet-wide deployment ledger.
Milestones and dates: The referenced milestone is the FY25 acquisition and deployment of 300 UAS, announced ahead of/around February 2026. The completion condition—retirement of the old fleet and deployment of new systems nationwide—lacks corroborating evidence as of early February 2026.
Source reliability note: The primary source is a DHS press material from February 5, 2026, which is an official government publication. While it establishes stated commitments and procurement activity, it does not independently verify fleet retirement or provide deployment inventories. Cross-checking with CBP procurement updates or GAO/IG reports would bolster verification.
In sum, the claim is currently best characterized as in_progress: a documented procurement milestone exists, but full fleet retirement and nationwide deployment have not been independently verified as completed.
Update · Feb 07, 2026, 03:10 PMin_progress
Claim restatement: The DHS article attributes a commitment to fully replace USBP’s drone fleet, citing prior acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25, with the expectation that the old fleet will be retired as new systems are deployed across USBP.
Evidence of progress: DHS communications (Feb 5, 2026) state the commitment but provide no concrete completion date or milestone confirming retirement of the prior fleet. CBP materials describe ongoing UAV deployments and broader drone program, but do not demonstrate a completed, retired fleet replacement.
Current status and milestones: As of early 2026, there is no public record of USBP’s entire drone fleet being retired and fully replaced. Sources emphasize expansion and ongoing procurement rather than a closed, completed transition.
Source reliability and incentives: The claims rely on official DHS/CBP communications, which reflect policy messaging around border security; independent confirmation of a completed retirement is not evident in the available public record.
Update · Feb 07, 2026, 01:39 PMin_progress
Claim restatement: The Department committed to fully replacing the USBP drone fleet, citing prior acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25. DHS’s February 5, 2026 release ties the pledge to a full fleet replacement after the 300 SUAS deployment, but does not provide a completion date.
Evidence of progress: CBP public materials show ongoing drone deployment and procurement; as of December 17, 2025, CBP reported over 135 systems in use with 60 more in procurement and plans to scale to 460 drones overall. This demonstrates active expansion and transition, not finalized retirement of an older fleet.
Current status: There is a stated commitment to full replacement, yet no documented retirement of the prior fleet or a formal completion milestone by early 2026. The available official materials describe ongoing procurement and deployment rather than a completed swap.
Milestones and reliability: The cited FY25 deployment of 300 SUAS serves as the foundation for the pledge, with late-2025 procurement updates indicating ongoing expansion. Independent verification of retirement records or a completed nationwide fleet replacement is not evident in the cited sources. A follow-up should monitor USBP asset retirement disclosures and procurement milestones.
Update · Feb 07, 2026, 12:19 PMin_progress
Summary of the claim: The Department committed to fully replacing the USBP drone fleet, citing the acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25. The source article frames this as a commitment under Secretary Noem to replace the fleet after the 300 sUAS acquisition. The claim hinges on a definitive retirement and redeployment of a fully refreshed USBP drone fleet with records indicating replacement.
Progress evidence: DHS/CBP materials show ongoing drone use expansion and procurement, including CBP’s Small Drones Program noting more than 135 systems in use and 60 in procurement with plans for about 460 drones total as of December 17, 2025. This indicates growth and deployment rather than a completed replacement.
Current status: There is no public documentation confirming that the entire previous drone fleet has been retired or that a full replacement across
USBP has been completed. The December 2025 update points to ongoing procurement and deployment, suggesting the objective remains in_progress rather than completed. The February 2026 article reiterates the commitment but lacks a completed milestone.
Milestones and reliability: A concrete milestone cited is the 300 sUAS acquisition in FY25, but follow-on retirement or full deployment milestones are not evidenced publicly. Given the reporting and CBP framing, skepticism is warranted about a completed replacement; status appears to be in_progress with partial deployment and ongoing procurement.
Source reliability: DHS.gov provides policy framing of commitments, while CBP’s Small Drones Program page offers operational detail on counts and procurement. Public records do not show a finalized fleet retirement, reinforcing the interpretation of ongoing progress rather than completion.
Update · Feb 07, 2026, 10:26 AMin_progress
Restated claim: DHS/USBP committed to fully replacing the Border Patrol drone fleet after the acquisition/deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25, with retirement of the old fleet and deployment of new systems across USBP. Evidence of progress: DHS press materials (Feb 5, 2026) state the commitment to full replacement following the FY25 sUAS acquisition/deployment. CBP’s small drones program (Dec 2025) describes ongoing deployment and expansion of sUAS but does not document retirement of legacy drones or a completed USBP-wide replacement. Status: No publicly verifiable record yet showing retirement of the prior fleet or a completed USBP-wide deployment of new systems as of early February 2026. Reliability note: The claim is anchored in a high-level policy pledge from DHS leadership; independent records confirming fleet retirement or full deployment are not publicly available. Follow-up would require official retirement/disposal logs or deployment manifests from DHS/CBP showing completion of the fleet replacement.
Update · Feb 07, 2026, 05:53 AMin_progress
The claim asserts that the Department committed to fully replacing the U.S. Border Patrol's drone fleet, building on the acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25. A DHS press release from February 5, 2026 publicly states the commitment to a full replacement, framing it as part of Secretary Noem’s border-security agenda. There is no independent verification in the release that retirement of the old fleet has occurred or that the new systems are deployed across USBP nationwide.
Update · Feb 07, 2026, 03:58 AMin_progress
The claim asserts that the Department committed to fully replacing the U.S. Border Patrol’s drone fleet, following the acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25. The DHS article from February 5, 2026, attributes the commitment to Secretary Noem and references the prior 300 S/UAS deployment in FY25, framing the replacement as a goal rather than a completed action. There is no public record confirming that all legacy drones have been retired or that a complete fleet replacement has been accomplished. The available government materials describe ongoing drone modernization efforts and a focus on small drones, but stop short of declaring full retirement of the previous fleet or a finished replacement across USBP. In short, the evidence supports progress toward the stated goal, but not final completion as of February 2026.
Update · Feb 07, 2026, 01:53 AMin_progress
Restating the claim: The Department committed to fully replacing the USBP drone fleet, after deploying 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25, with the fleet replacement retiring the old drones and deploying new systems USBP-wide.
Evidence of progress: DHS communications and the CBP Small Drones Program indicate ongoing expansion and replacement of
sUAS, with public figures noting deployment growth and procurement through 2025 (e.g., about 135 in use and ongoing procurement toward higher totals).
Current status: There is no public record showing a complete retirement of the prior drone fleet or a nationwide, fully replaced USBP fleet as of early February 2026; the available materials describe progress and scale-up rather than a completed fleet replacement.
Reliability and incentives: Official DHS/CBP sources are credible for high-level modernization efforts, but lack detailed retirement timelines. Given agency incentives to emphasize expansion, a cautious interpretation is warranted until explicit retirement records are published.
Update · Feb 07, 2026, 12:20 AMin_progress
Claim restatement: The Department committed to fully replacing the USBP drone fleet, citing the acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25. Evidence from DHS confirms the commitment was stated by Secretary Noem, tied to a prior claim of 300 sUAS acquired/deployed in FY25. However, there is no publicly disclosed completion date or clear evidence that the old fleet has been retired or that a full fleet replacement has been completed. DHS's February 5, 2026 release frames the replacement as a committed objective rather than an accomplished milestone.
Progress indicators: CBP’s own small drones program page shows ongoing deployment and procurement activity as of late 2025, with roughly 135 systems in use and about 60 more in procurement, and a broader goal to expand to hundreds more, including plans to reach 460 drones. This suggests substantial growth in the fleet, but not a documented retirement of older aircraft or a full fleet replacement across USBP by a specific date. The article’s cited FY25 acquisition of 300 sUAS is not corroborated by a publishable post-FY25 retirement plan or a universal fleet retirement record.
What exists to support progress: Official DHS coverage of border-security progress in early 2026 highlights ongoing investments in new technology and regional deployments, including Noem’s Northern Border efforts and broader tech upgrades, but does not provide a completed replacement status for USBP’s drone fleet. CBP’s public materials emphasize expansion and modernization rather than retirement of a legacy fleet. No authoritative source publicly confirms the old drone fleet has been retired.
Milestones and dates: The primary milestone referenced is the FY25 acquisition/deployment of 300 sUAS, but there is no corroborated post-FY25 retirement date or deployment across all USBP sectors. The DHS piece itself provides no completion deadline. Available official materials indicate ongoing procurement and training, with hundreds of drones anticipated or in progress rather than a completed replacement.
Source reliability and incentives: The DHS release is an official government statement reflecting stated policy. CBP’s program page provides detailed operational data on current deployments and procurement. Together, they suggest policy intent toward modernization, but without documented retirement of the previous fleet, the claim of full replacement remains unverified. Given the incentives of the agencies to project progress and the lack of a retirement milestone, treating the claim as in_progress is prudent.
Update · Feb 06, 2026, 10:38 PMin_progress
The claim states that the Department committed to fully replacing the U.S. Border Patrol's drone fleet, citing the acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25. Publicly available statements embed a commitment to replacing USBP’s drone fleet and reference 300 sUAS deployed in FY25, but do not show a completed nationwide replacement as of early 2026. A DHS press release from February 5, 2026 repeats the commitment and notes the prior acquisition/deployment milestone, without confirming full retirement of the old fleet.
Evidence of progress includes formal acknowledgment of the 300 sUAS milestone in FY25 and ongoing drone program activity at CBP USBP. The CBP Small Drones Program page describes ongoing deployment and expansion of drone capabilities, with numbers indicating a transition toward larger scale use (e.g., hundreds of systems deployed or in procurement) and a plan to expand to around 460 drones overall. However, these sources describe expansion and deployment rather than a completed fleet retirement.
There is no publicly verifiable record that the old drone fleet has been retired nationwide or that every USBP unit has transitioned to the new systems. The most concrete indicators show continued acquisition, training, and deployment of sUAS, and a plan to replace or supplement existing assets, but not a completed replacement as of February 2026. The balance of evidence thus supports ongoing progress rather than a finished replacement.
Key dates and milestones include: FY25 deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems (per DHS article), and December 2025 reporting of USBP drone usage and procurement activity (CBP Small Drones Program) pointing to expansion rather than retirement of older platforms. These milestones suggest a multi-year transition rather than an instantaneous completion.
Update · Feb 06, 2026, 08:16 PMin_progress
Claim restated: The Department committed to fully replacing the U.S. Border Patrol’s drone fleet, citing prior acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25. Evidence from DHS confirms a stated commitment by Secretary Noem to full replacement after the 300 sUAS acquisition/deployment, but the public record does not show a completed fleet retirement and full deployment across
USBP as of early 2026.
Progress indicators: The DHS article highlights the stated commitment and references the prior acquisition/deployment of 300 sUAS in FY25, framing it as a foundation for future replacement. CBP’s small-drones program page (Dec 2025) describes current deployments and ongoing procurement, which supports ongoing progress but not a completed fleet retirement.
Milestones and dates: Acquisition/deployment of 300 sUAS occurred in FY25 (per DHS statement). The DHS release is dated February 5, 2026. CBP materials describe continued expansion through 2025, but do not publish a completion milestone for full replacement.
Source reliability: The DHS release is an official government communication. CBP drone program materials provide context on deployment and training but do not indicate a completed retirement of the old fleet.
Follow-up:
Await official USBP retirement records or a formal completion notice to determine whether the replace-and-retire milestone has been met.
Update · Feb 06, 2026, 05:25 PMin_progress
Restated claim: The Department committed to fully replacing the U.S. Border Patrol's drone fleet, citing prior acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25. The DHS piece quotes Secretary Noem: a full replacement of USBP’s drone fleet following the acquisition and deployment of 300 sUAS in FY25.
Evidence of progress: Public DHS messaging confirms emphasis on expanding and upgrading drone capabilities, and CBP has publicly reported ongoing deployment of small drones. A CBP program page (Dec 2025) notes hundreds of sUAS in use and continued procurement, with plans to grow the drone fleet to a larger total (the article references 460 drones).
Evidence of completion status: As of early 2026, there is no public record showing a formal retirement of the entire previous USBP drone fleet or a verified, complete deployment of a new, fully replaced fleet across
USBP. The most concrete signals describe ongoing deployments and planned scale-up, not a completed retirement milestone.
Dates and milestones: The DHS article is dated February 5, 2026, tying the pledge to prior 300 sUAS acquisitions in FY25. CBP’s small drones program page (December 17, 2025) describes current usage (over 135 systems) and procurement activity (60 more in process) with a long-term target of hundreds of drones.
Reliability note: Primary sources are federal agency communications directly reflecting policy directions and procurement plans. These sources indicate official commitments but do not provide external verification of fleet retirement; thus status remains in_progress rather than complete.
Update · Feb 06, 2026, 03:28 PMin_progress
Claim restatement: The article asserts the USBP drone fleet would be fully replaced, following the acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25. Public DHS/CBP materials show ongoing deployment and expansion of small drones, but do not document a completed retirement of the old fleet.
Progress evidence: CBP’s small drones program page (late 2025) describes current deployment (135+ systems in use, 60 in procurement) and plans for further expansion, including a target pool of hundreds of drones. Separate DHS materials emphasize enhancements in drone detection and counter-UAS capabilities, not a completed fleet retirement.
Current status and milestones: There is no recorded completion date or milestone signaling that the entire prior fleet has been retired and replaced across USBP. The program appears to be in a growth/modernization phase with ongoing acquisitions and fielding, rather than a finalized handover of all assets.
Source reliability and incentives: The cited DHS/CBP materials are official government sources detailing drone program deployments and procurement, providing a reliable view of progress. The incentives cited—improved agent safety and surveillance reach—align with border-security objectives rather than partisan frames.
Additional context: The claim ties to a policy stance attributed to Secretary Noem; publicly available records do not confirm a legally binding completion of fleet replacement by early 2026. Ongoing procurement and deployment continue to shape USBP capabilities.
Notes on completion conditions: Without a documented retirement of the prior fleet and full deployment of new systems across USBP, the completion condition remains unmet as of the current date.
Update · Feb 06, 2026, 01:42 PMin_progress
Restated claim: The Department committed to fully replacing the U.S. Border Patrol's drone fleet, following the acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25, with the entire prior fleet retired and new systems deployed across
USBP as the completion condition.
Progress evidence: Public DHS/CBP communications show ongoing expansion and procurement of small UAS, but not a completed fleet replacement. A CBP Frontline program piece (Dec 2025) notes active use of hundreds of small drones and a multi-hundred platform plan, with 135 in operation and 60 more in procurement, and plans for about 460 drones total.
Current status: There is no publicly available record indicating the USBP formally retired its entire previous drone fleet or that a full replacement has been completed. The procurement and deployment activity described suggests modernization continues rather than final retirement of older assets.
Milestones and dates: Concrete public datapoints include: (1) December 2025 reporting on deployment levels and expansion plans, (2) February 2026 DHS statement reiterating the replacement goal tied to FY25 activities but without a completion date. No authoritative source shows a retirement date for the prior fleet.
Source reliability and incentives: The primary sources are official DHS/CBP materials, suitable for this topic, but they do not confirm completion. Given the stated goal and lack of retirement records, the situation appears to be in_progress rather than complete. Independent reporting describes rapid modernization but also ongoing expansion rather than closure of the old fleet.
Follow-up note: A formal fleet retirement record or deployment completion report from DHS/USBP would be needed to conclusively confirm completion.
Update · Feb 06, 2026, 12:32 PMin_progress
Restatement of claim: The DHS article quotes a commitment to fully replacing USBP’s drone fleet, following the acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25. It implies an accelerated, complete fleet replacement rather than ongoing use of current assets.
Evidence of progress: Public DHS/CBP materials indicate active expansion and ongoing procurement of small UAS for Border Patrol use, with CBP reporting that the fleet is in the hundreds of units across the service and that procurement and training are continuing. A CBP Small Drones program page notes more than 135 systems in use and 60 in procurement, with a plan to expand toward a larger fleet (up to hundreds more, including fixed-wing and VTOL platforms). This suggests growth and renewal activity, but not a documented retirement of the prior fleet.
Evidence of completion, remaining in_progress, or failure: There is no public, verifiable record showing complete retirement of the previous drone fleet or the full deployment of replacement systems across USBP. The CBP materials describe ongoing acquisitions and training, consistent with an in-progress modernization rather than a completed fleet replacement.
Dates and milestones: The CBP page cites ongoing activity as of late 2025 (e.g., 135+ deployed, 60 in procurement) and references expansion toward a larger integrated drone capability. The DHS article is dated February 5, 2026, framing the topic in a promotional context but not providing a retirement date or completion milestone.
Reliability and caveats: The primary sources are official DHS/CBP materials, which are credible for policy and program intent but may reflect promotional framing. The lack of a retirement-date or a formal completion verification in these sources makes a definitive completion assessment premature. The incentive context (promoting modernization and border security capabilities) should be weighed when interpreting stated commitments.
Update · Feb 06, 2026, 09:58 AMin_progress
Claim-restatement: The Department committed to fully replacing the U.S. Border Patrol's drone fleet, citing the acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) in FY25, with a completion condition of retiring the old fleet and deploying the new systems across USBP.
Evidence of progress: The DHS‑CBP reporting around late 2025 shows active expansion of the sUAS program. A CBP Frontline piece (Dec 17, 2025) notes 135 systems in use, 60 in procurement, and a plan to have 460 drones patrolling, indicating ongoing deployment and scale-up beyond an initial 300 units. The DHS press release and article around Feb 5, 2026 reiterate a commitment to fully replacing USBP’s drone fleet following the 300 FY25 acquisitions, aligning with the stated goal.
Current status indicators: As of February 2026, there is no publicly available record confirming a complete retirement of the prior drone fleet or a nationwide swap completed across USBP. The best publicly documented signal is continued procurement and field deployment (hundreds of drones targeted, with training and operational integration underway), rather than a finalized fleet replacement.
Completion status and gaps: The completion condition—records showing the previous fleet retired and new systems fully deployed across USBP—has not been publicly evidenced. Public DHS/CBP materials describe ongoing expansion and procurement but do not confirm fleet retirement dates or universal deployment across all USBP sectors.
Reliability and context: Sources are DHS/CBP official communications, which are authoritative for policy promises and program updates. While these documents establish intent and near-term milestones, they do not provide granular, independent verification of fleet retirement dates or a comprehensive audit trail of USBP systems across all sectors. The incentives of the agencies (as framed by DHS leadership) align with expanding surveillance capabilities, which supports continued progress but also warrants cautious interpretation of timelines.
Update · Feb 06, 2026, 05:29 AMin_progress
Restatement of the claim: The DHS article says the Department committed to fully replacing USBP’s drone fleet, following the acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25.
Evidence of progress: DHS coverage (Feb 5, 2026) frames the replacement as a commitment tied to previous 300 sUAS acquisitions, but provides no documentation of a completed fleet retirement. CBP procurement updates from late 2025 show ongoing expansion and deployment of drones rather than a full retirement of older platforms.
Current status and milestones: CBP’s small drones program indicates roughly 135 systems in use with about 60 in procurement, and a plan to reach around 460 drones in total, signaling a multi-year transition rather than an immediate handover.
Completion status: There is no public record confirming that USBP’s entire prior drone fleet has been retired. The latest public materials describe ongoing procurement, deployment, and expansion rather than a completed, nationwide replacement.
Reliability and incentives: The claim rests on political leadership statements; independent fleet retirement records are not publicly published. The procurement updates are credible but describe progress rather than completion, suggesting continued activity under a multi-year replacement effort.
Bottom line for readers: The claim appears to be in_progress, with substantial procurement activity and deployment, but no verified completion as of early 2026.
Update · Feb 06, 2026, 04:43 AMin_progress
Claim restatement: The DHS article asserts that the Department committed to fully replacing the U.S. Border Patrol's drone fleet, following the acquisition and deployment of 300 small unmanned aircraft systems in FY25. It frames the replacement as a completed or soon-completed outcome under Secretary Noem’s leadership.
Progress evidence: The DHS release (Feb 5, 2026) explicitly links the replacement pledge to the prior acquisition and deployment of 300 sUAS in FY25, signaling government intent and a plan that moved into deployment discussions. Independent CBP materials in late 2025 show ongoing small drones deployment by Border Patrol agents, indicating active expansion of the sUAS program rather than a concluded retirement of older assets.
Corroborating context: CBP materials describe the small drones program as deployed across Border Patrol units and highlight ongoing use for reconnaissance and support, suggesting continued integration of new systems rather than a completed fleet swap. These pieces do not provide a clear, public retirement date for legacy drone platforms or a documented, universal transition to a fully replaced fleet.
Completion status: There is no publicly accessible documentation confirming that USBP’s entire drone fleet has been retired and replaced nationwide. The DHS article cites a pledge and a deployment milestone, but does not present a verifiable completion certificate, retirement logs, or a fleet-wide rollout date.
Reliability note: The primary source is a DHS press release with political framing. Supplemental details from CBP emphasize deployment activity but do not independently verify full retirement of older fleets. Absence of a concrete retirement schedule suggests cautious interpretation and the need for ongoing official disclosures.
Original article · Feb 05, 2026