Pentagon (find out more) (see details) Creates Autonomous Warfare Command to Scale Drones and AI
The US military is establishing a new command to develop and field drones, robots, and other autonomous systems across all its branches. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Autonomous Warfare Command (AutoWarCom) on Wednesday.
Hegseth made the announcement in his annual State of the Force speech to junior officers and enlisted personnel at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia. He stated that a four-star officer will lead the command.
"The pace of war is changing faster than the process to support it," Hegseth said.
New commands are rare, with the last one being US Space Command in 2019, according to Reuters. The Pentagon currently has 11 combatant commands, each covering a region or specific task. Unlike most, AutoWarCom will have powers similar to the armed services, Hegseth said.
This command will drive its own system design, development, and fielding, and is scheduled to be established over several months and launched within a year, as reported by Air & Space Forces Magazine.
Until then, an interim measure known as Project Agincourt will be implemented. Hegseth also mentioned the creation of new military job specialties for soldiers operating autonomous systems.
The command builds on previous changes, including the establishment of a single drone office in June that oversees most of the Pentagon’s unmanned programs, with responsibilities that include the Defense Autonomous Warfare Group and Joint Interagency Task Force 401, tasked with countering enemy drones.
The Pentagon’s budget proposal for fiscal year 2027 requests approximately $54.6 billion for the Defense Autonomous Warfare Group, a significant increase from the current level of about $226 million. However, Congress has not yet approved this request.
This development comes as security experts warn of the dangers of allowing military AI to develop without limits, with experts from both the US and China advocating for common rules governing AI in weapons systems, including nuclear weapons.
Written by Ana-Maria Stanciuc, Editor-in-Chief at TNW.