Hegseth Pushes for Autonomous Warfare Command and ‘Generational’ Defense Investment at AUSA Summit

WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and senior military leaders highlighted ambitious plans to scale autonomous weapon systems and establish a new four-star command during their keynote appearance at the Association of the US Army’s annual conference.

“You have autonomy. You have robotics. You have SI [super intelligence]. You have space,” Hegseth told an audience of servicemembers and defense industry leaders. He emphasized that acquisition officials must work closely alongside warfighters to rapidly iterate, adapt, and innovate defense platforms.

Although Hegseth and civilian service leaders avoided detailed timelines or specific investment figures, they used the event to advocate for the creation of the recently announced Autonomous Warfare Command (AUTOWARCOM). This new command is envisioned to possess service-like authorities to scale autonomous and robotic capabilities across the joint force.

While congressional approval for the new command will likely take time, the Pentagon is already taking steps to lay the groundwork. The department has integrated the Direct Reporting Portfolio Manager (DRPM) for autonomy into a broader unmanned technology initiative known as Project Agincourt.

Owen West, who now leads Project Agincourt, moderated a panel on autonomy at the conference, shedding light on key organizational shifts, including those affecting the Defense Autonomous Working Group (DAWG).

Originally established as a successor to the Biden-era Replicator initiative to boost the mass production of drones and counter-drone technology, DAWG was placed under Special Operations Command (SOCOM) in 2025 to focus on specific capability portfolios.

“We’re smaller. We’re able to iterate at the speed of relevancy,” said Derrick Anderson, the assistant secretary of defense for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict.

Anderson explained that DAWG is now being transitioned into a newly formed Task Force Autonomous Warfare within SOCOM. This task force will support Project Agincourt and, eventually, AUTOWARCOM, ensuring continuous development in the autonomy sector without a “stagnant pause.”

“Our guys are going to keep pushing forward,” Anderson added.

Although Congress has not yet finalized the fiscal 2027 defense spending bill or acted on the administration’s separate reconciliation request, the Pentagon has proposed allocating nearly $55 billion to DAWG.

The final amount approved by lawmakers remains uncertain, but Hegseth reiterated during his keynote that the full funding request is essential to “drive change” within the department.

“[It is] a one-time generational investment [that] gives us a chance to reflect the president’s priorities,” Hegseth stated from the stage.

“Investments now are going to matter, and they’re going to ripple not just for years but for decades across our joint force,” he concluded.

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