Pentagon Unveils Autonomous Warfare Command and Doubles Senior Officer Cuts

WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth today unveiled a series of new initiatives, most notably plans to establish a new four‑star command focused on autonomous systems and a working group to study the future of warfare.

Delivering what was billed as a “State of the Force” address at Quantico, Virginia, Hegseth also pledged significant reductions in the number of general and flag officers across the Pentagon.

The centerpiece of his speech was the creation of the Autonomous Warfare Command (AUTOWARCOM), which Hegseth said will wield “service‑like authorities to scale autonomous and robotic capabilities across the joint force in the fastest peacetime shift in modern military history.”

“Ukraine’s lesson is not that one type of drone wins wars,” he added, “but rather the need for a purpose‑built system that maximizes adaptability. We will fuse procurement with operations at scale, enabling warfighters, engineers, and entrepreneurs to learn, adapt, and rapidly iterate on their domain and mission.”

AUTOWARCOM is part of a broader effort to expand drone production and field those systems across the force. This push includes the Drone Dominance acquisition program, the newly formed Joint Interagency Task Force 401 (JIATF‑401), and— as previously reported by Breaking Defense—the establishment of a Direct Reporting Portfolio Manager (DRPM) for autonomy.

Hegseth acknowledged that full implementation will require time. As an interim measure, he said, the autonomy DRPM is being transformed into “Project Agincourt,” to be led by Defense Innovation Unit head Owen West and Max Strasiser. The project will follow a new “warfighting acquisition” prototyping model that blends operators with entrepreneurs and places “decisions and dollars” nearer to frontline units.

According to a Sept. 30 Pentagon memo, Project Agincourt leaders will work with Congress to secure the legislation needed to activate the new command by October 2027. Such a combatant command would likely require explicit congressional approval, mirroring the authorities granted to Special Operations and Cyber commands. While the fiscal 2027 defense authorization has not yet been enacted, a Senate draft calls for establishing a Robotic and Autonomous Systems Combatant Command.

Hegseth also highlighted Project Meridian, a study of future warfare that will be co‑led by “our nation’s best minds” — SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, Anduril founder Palmer Luckey, and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich.

“The future of warfare is not about developing new strategies or new policies,” Hegseth remarked. “We already do that. Instead, we must creatively look ahead to identify the domains we must conquer and the capabilities we must master.”

According to the memo, Project Meridian will draw on external expertise from leading technologists, innovators, business leaders, policymakers, and national security experts. Its mission is to map the trajectory of future warfare, pinpoint critical capability gaps, and deliver actionable solutions that support the goals outlined in the 2026 National Security Science and Technology Strategy.

A final report from the initiative is slated for delivery on January 28, 2027.

Hegseth also used today’s event to announce the following initiatives:

• FORTRESS America: a call for every major U.S. military installation to generate its own power, independent of the civilian grid.
• Next Great American Base Site Selection: a contest among states to select a location for a new military base in the United States.
• America’s Corps of Cadets: a new group comprising six Senior Military Colleges.
• Office of Religious Affairs: a channel for chaplains to report directly to the Secretary of Defense.

Accelerated Officer Reductions

Hegseth also pledged a further cut to general and flag officer posts, doubling his previous reduction target. “The number crunchers say we’ve fired 10 percent of the generals and admirals across the force, and that number sounds about right,” he said. “And I know, because I directed it, that we’ve also reduced the overall number of general officer slots by an additional 10 percent” — meaning a 20 percent overall reduction in top officers since he took over the Pentagon.

Fox News first reported that Hegseth planned to use today’s speech to announce additional cuts to general and flag officers, prompting preemptive statements from several lawmakers.

Sen. Jack Reed, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, accused Hegseth of “taking countless reckless, partisan actions” during his tenure, including ending the careers of dozens of senior officers without explanation. Citing Article I of the Constitution, which gives Congress authority over the armed forces, Reed called on Hegseth to provide oversight committees with written information before any further cuts are implemented.

“Our military is conducting major operations around the world, and the force is already under strain,” Reed said in a public statement. “Eliminating senior positions and leaders now will add to that strain and disrupt command when continuity matters most. The secretary has said this is a deliberative process aimed at readiness. If so, he should welcome the chance to show his work.”

Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D‑Conn., labeled Hegseth’s approach “draconian,” noting that the secretary had not consulted Congress. “He is putting political loyalty above merit in reducing the numbers of officers,” Blumenthal told reporters. “There may be a need to reduce the numbers of officers, but there’s no evidence that he’s conducted any kind of systematic or intelligent or strategic oversight, either in the number or the specific individuals beyond just personal discrimination. We will push back for sure,” he added. “We’ll use every tool and power that we have, and hopefully we will be [in] the majority” next year.

Hegseth’s push to reshape the military predated his confirmation. Last year he directed department leaders to eliminate “redundant force structure” and streamline leadership by cutting general and flag officer billets. He set a goal of removing at least 20 percent of four‑star positions in the active component and another 20 percent of general officers in the National Guard. At the time there were roughly 800 general officers, including about 40 four‑stars, according to government data cited by Hegseth.

A number of high‑profile generals have left under his tenure, including Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. CQ Brown, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti, Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. James Slife, Defense Intelligence Agency head Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Kruse, NSA and Cyber Command head Gen. Timothy Haugh, and Gen. Christopher Donahue, among others.

Valerie Insinna contributed to this report.

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