Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced the creation of a new four-star combatant command dedicated to autonomous and robotic warfare capabilities on Wednesday. The move establishes the Autonomous Warfare Command, also referred to as AutoWarCom, as the 12th such command in the U.S. military.

Hegseth made the announcement in a "State of the Force" speech at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia. The command will focus on scaling drones, artificial intelligence, and other autonomous systems across the joint force. It will hold service-like authorities for manpower, budget, and acquisition to accelerate development and deployment.

The Pentagon plans to stand up the command by October 1, 2027. An interim effort called Project Agincourt, led by Defense Innovation Unit Director Owen West and Navy SEAL Senior Chief Max Strasiser, will guide the transition and prototype a new "warfighting acquisition" model that pairs operators with entrepreneurs for faster prototyping.

Hegseth highlighted the need for change, noting that the pace of technological advancement outstrips traditional military processes. He pointed to the effectiveness of low-cost autonomous systems in recent conflicts, where drones have accounted for a significant share of casualties. The announcement aligns with broader Pentagon efforts to shift resources toward cheaper, high-precision capabilities rather than relying solely on expensive legacy platforms.

The secretary also directed the military services to develop new occupational specialties to support the transition to autonomy. This initiative comes alongside other changes, including a proposed 20 percent reduction in general and flag officer positions and the establishment of an Office of Religious Affairs.

The new command reflects ongoing priorities to enhance military effectiveness through technological superiority in unmanned systems. Congressional approval will be required for full implementation, including legislation for its authorities and structure.