Washington DC – Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Wednesday the creation of a new U.S. military command designed to accelerate the adoption of autonomous and robotic systems across the joint force.
The Autonomous Warfare Command, or AutoWarCom, will have service-like authorities intended to speed the development, procurement and deployment of drones, autonomous systems and other emerging technologies. The initiative comes as the Pentagon works to overcome technical and organizational barriers to fielding inexpensive unmanned systems at scale.
Hegseth announced the command during his State of the Force address at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia. The move reflects lessons from recent conflicts, particularly the Russia-Ukraine war and fighting in the Middle East, where drones, autonomous systems and AI-enabled targeting have become increasingly important.
The command is intended to more closely connect military operators, engineers and technology companies, allowing systems to be tested, modified and deployed more rapidly based on battlefield requirements.
As an interim step, Hegseth established Project Agincourt, which will spend the next year developing the structure for AutoWarCom. The project will test a model that combines military operations and acquisition while moving more purchasing and development decisions closer to frontline units.
Defense Innovation Unit Director Owen West and Navy SEAL Senior Chief Max Strasiser will lead Project Agincourt. West will focus on strategic risk, resources and scaling new capabilities, while Strasiser will concentrate on operational requirements and combat employment.
The Pentagon also plans to introduce new military occupational specialty frameworks across the services to develop personnel and career paths focused on autonomous warfare.
Hegseth additionally announced Project Meridian, an initiative intended to examine future warfare domains and identify technologies the military will need to develop. Pentagon Chief Technology Officer Emil Michael will oversee the project, with SpaceX and xAI founder Elon Musk, Anduril founder Palmer Luckey and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich serving as co-directors.
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