Pentagon Creates Unified Command for Autonomous and Unmanned Systems Under New Deputy-Level Oversight

The Pentagon has reorganized its drone and counterdrone operations for air, land, and sea domains under a new unified director reporting to the deputy defense secretary, according to a memo released Wednesday.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth emphasized in a June 29 memo that “unmanned and autonomous systems are a strategic priority” and “essential to maintaining decisive military advantage.”

The new role, titled Direct Reporting Portfolio Manager for Unmanned Offensive and Defensive Systems (DRPM-UxS), will oversee all Pentagon autonomous initiatives, including the Joint Interagency Task Force 401 and the Defense Autonomous Warfare Group, as well as programs under the Defense Innovation Unit, military departments, and other components.

Leaders of JIATF-401 and DAWG will serve in dual-hat capacities under the DRPM-UxS, which will manage all missions, functions, and funding lines immediately, per the memo.

The Defense Innovation Unit will act as the primary commercial liaison for unmanned and autonomous systems within the DRPM-UxS portfolio. The new director will also lead the sUAS Industrial Base Working Group.

This restructuring mirrors the Air Force’s 2024 consolidation of major programs—like the B-21 Raider and Sentinel radar system—under a single portfolio manager. That change reportedly improved troubled programs, including the Sentinel missile project, which triggered a Nunn-McCurdy Act review in 2024 due to cost overruns.

It remains unclear whether the DRPM for unmanned systems requires Senate confirmation or who will fill the position.

The reorganization comes as the Pentagon accelerates drone deployment across services to counter evolving modern warfare tactics, while Congress considers establishing an all-robotics combatant command.

The DRPM-UxS will streamline procurement, development, and deployment of unmanned systems, including overseeing existing and future marketplace platforms for drone and counterdrone purchases—similar to current Army and Navy models. New marketplaces require DRPM-UxS approval.

Initial priorities for the new role include hiring staff for management, legal, IT, and contracting roles; drafting an organization chart; cataloging all service and component programs with full cost and resource analysis; developing an implementation timeline; and providing regular updates to the deputy defense secretary.

The memo also establishes an executive board chaired by the Pentagon’s No. 2 official, comprising the Joint Chiefs vice chairman, military department heads, and defense undersecretaries for acquisition and research and engineering.

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