WASHINGTON — In a strategic move to counter the rapid advancement of adversary drone programs, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has established a Direct Reporting Portfolio Manager (DRPM) for autonomy, according to documents obtained by Breaking Defense.
Reporting directly to Deputy Defense Secretary Stephen Feinberg, the new “czar” will oversee a vast array of unmanned systems currently managed at the service level. This consolidated authority includes all ground vehicles, small aerial vehicles, and the majority of sea-based unmanned platforms.
The position, designated as DRPM-UxS, is designed to serve as the “single joint integrator for all unmanned and autonomous system programs” within the Department of Defense, the memo signed Monday indicates.
“Adversaries collectively produce millions of unmanned systems each year across all Domains,” Hegseth wrote. “While global military unmanned systems production has skyrocketed over the last three years, the United States has been slow to field these capabilities at scale. Drones and autonomous systems are the most consequential battlefield innovation of this generation. The [Pentagon] must move at the speed this moment demands.”
Key mandates of the new role include:
- Management of all UAS groups 1-3, excluding major airframes such as the Collaborative Combat Aircraft.
- Oversight of all autonomous ground vehicles.
- Control of all unmanned surface vessels, with the exception of the Medium Unmanned Surface Vessel (MUSV) program.
- Coordination with Vice Adm. Robert Gaucher, the submarine DRPM, regarding underwater unmanned vessels.
- Management of software programs related to autonomy, artificial intelligence, and swarming, as well as the department’s existing unmanned systems marketplaces.
- Utilization of the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) as the primary interface for commercial industry engagement for all programs within the DRPM-UxS portfolio.
The Defense Autonomous Warfare Group (DAWG) and Joint Interagency Task Force 401 will now function as deputy offices under the DRPM-UxS. JIATF 401, previously focused on Counter-Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems, will expand its mission to counter drone systems across all domains.
The memo specifies that this shift in oversight will not alter the current organizational alignment or personnel billets of JIATF-401 and DAWG.
Regarding acquisition, the memo states that the DRPM-UxS will hold precedence on all execution matters following the Secretary of War and the Deputy Secretary of War. The Under Secretary of War for Acquisition and Sustainment (USW(A&S)), acting as the Defense Acquisition Executive (DAE), will support the DRPM-UxS through the use of streamlined acquisition authorities to accelerate the delivery of UxS capabilities.
The Pentagon has not yet named an individual for the role or provided a timeline for the appointment, and did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The DRPM framework was first introduced in July 2025 with the appointment of Gen. Michael Guetlein to lead the Golden Dome initiative. The model has since expanded to include Vice Adm. Gaucher for submarine efforts and Gen. Dale White, who manages a portfolio of critical Air Force assets, including the B-21 bomber, F-47 fighter, and Sentinel ICBM.
Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment Michael Duffey previously noted that the goal of this structure is to bypass traditional bureaucracy, though he clarified that each DRPM role is tailored to its specific mission. For example, the Golden Dome role focuses on integrating existing sensors and launchers into a cohesive homeland air defense architecture.
The new DRPM-UxS may follow a similar integrative approach, given the fragmented nature of current service-level programs. It remains unclear how this new central authority will interact with existing service-level structures, such as the Army’s recent reorganization that placed autonomy under its Portfolio Acquisition Executive (PAE) for Maneuver Air.
