Pentagon Creates Four-Star Command for Autonomous Warfare, Consolidating Drone Programs Under Single Authority

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced a sweeping reorganization of Pentagon drone and autonomous systems programs, establishing a four-star combatant command and new centralized office to accelerate the development and deployment of unmanned systems at scale. The restructuring includes creation of the Direct Reporting Portfolio Manager for Unmanned Systems (DRPM-UxS), which reports directly to Deputy Secretary of Defense Stephen Feinberg and serves as the single joint integrator for all unmanned and autonomous programs across the military.