The U.S. Department of War is creating a new military command focused on developing and scaling autonomous and robotic capabilities across the U.S. military. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced the initiative on September 30 during his State of the Force speech at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia.
The new command is called the Autonomous Warfare Command, or AutoWarCom. It will be established as a four-star combatant command with service-like authorities aimed at scaling autonomous and robotic capabilities.
The creation of AutoWarCom is one of six major initiatives announced by Hegseth during the speech. The other initiatives include Project Meridian, a new readiness program called FORTRESS, the Next Great American Base project, a new Corps of Cadets and an Office of Religious Affairs.
Hegseth said the Autonomous Warfare Command is intended to give the U.S. military a dedicated structure for advancing autonomous and robotic systems. The command is planned to receive dedicated personnel, budget and acquisition authorities, as well as military career pathways for officers and enlisted personnel.
The initiative comes as the War Department seeks to accelerate the development and deployment of autonomous systems. Hegseth has emphasized the need to modernize the military and increase its ability to rapidly adopt new technologies.
The Autonomous Warfare Command is scheduled to be established by October 1, 2027. Its creation will require cooperation with Congress to obtain the necessary legislative authority.
