Pentagon Establishes New Autonomous Warfare Command to Accelerate Drone and AI Deployment

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the creation of a new four-star military command dedicated to autonomous weapons systems, signaling a major Pentagon shift toward AI-driven and robotic warfare capabilities. The Autonomous Warfare Command (AUTOWARCOM), unveiled during Hegseth's inaugural State of the Force address at Marine Corps Base Quantico on September 30, 2026, is expected to become operational by October 1, 2027.