Hegseth Announces New Autonomous Weapons Command
Goldlaner.com – Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced a new Autonomous Warfare Command during a Wednesday speech at Quantico, Virginia, placing artificial intelligence, robotics and autonomous weapons under the leadership of a four-star general. The move signals that the Pentagon sees autonomous systems as a central part of future military planning.
Hegseth said the military must adjust its structure and assumptions as drones, robotics and AI reshape warfare. By establishing a senior command rather than a smaller technical office, the Pentagon is giving autonomous warfare a prominent place in decisions about training, equipment, doctrine and operations.
“The autonomous and robotic revolution has enormous implications for equipment, doctrine, organization, and the assumptions that have governed warfare for decades,” Hegseth said. “Lasting change must be anchored in military command structures.”
Ukraine war informs Pentagon technology plans
Hegseth pointed to the war in Ukraine as an example of how drones and other remotely operated or autonomous systems are changing surveillance, targeting and combat. The conflict has become an important reference point for Pentagon officials considering how rapidly battlefield technology can evolve.
Alongside the new command, Hegseth said Project Agincourt will focus on changing how the military purchases, tests and fields drones and related systems. Hegseth announces new autonomous weapons command as part of a broader effort to move emerging technology more quickly into military use.
Assigning a four-star commander to the initiative could give it lasting influence across the armed forces. Major commands help set priorities for personnel, readiness, acquisitions and operational planning, making the decision more consequential than a short-term technology program.
Cultural criticism and officer cuts remain central themes
While much of the Quantico address focused on technology, Hegseth again criticized what he calls “woke” policies in the military. He said he had directed further reductions among senior officers as part of his wider campaign against those policies.
The target for reducing general and flag officer positions has risen to 20%, twice the 10% reduction in generals and admirals ordered in a May 2025 memorandum. The services have already cut available four-star positions, requiring some senior leaders to retire or leave military service.
Hegseth has dismissed more than two dozen senior officers across the armed forces, frequently without detailed public explanations. The removals have raised concerns among lawmakers in both parties and created tension within the Pentagon.
Those concerns contributed to the departure of former Army Secretary Dan Driscoll. In his resignation, Driscoll cited issues involving Army transformation and readiness, as well as Hegseth’s removal of generals who had been responsible for those areas.
Project Meridian brings in technology and political figures
The event included Tesla and SpaceX chief executive Elon Musk, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and Anduril founder and chief executive Palmer Luckey. Hegseth said the three men will lead Project Meridian, a study group examining the future of warfare.
The initiative comes as the Pentagon increases its attention on commercial technology, artificial intelligence and unmanned systems. Hegseth announces new autonomous weapons command while also seeking outside input on how those developments may affect military strategy.
A different audience, familiar rhetoric
The speech came exactly one year after Hegseth addressed generals and admirals at Quantico on September 30, 2025. His earlier remarks concentrated more heavily on fitness standards and cultural issues than on advanced weapons technology.
In that 2025 speech, Hegseth attacked what he called “the woke department,” criticized “fat troops” and “beardos,” and said the Trump administration would remove politics from the Pentagon.
“The only mission” would be “warfighting, preparing for war and preparing to win,” Hegseth said in the 2025 address.
This year, Hegseth’s office invited roughly 600 junior officers and noncommissioned officers rather than gathering senior military leaders. He also criticized news coverage of US military operations, comparing some coverage to “treason,” while acknowledging the importance of a free press.
FAQ: Hegseth’s Autonomous Weapons Command
What is the Autonomous Warfare Command?
It is a new Pentagon command announced by Hegseth to focus on artificial intelligence, robotics and autonomous weapons. A four-star general will lead the organization.
Why did Hegseth cite the war in Ukraine?
Hegseth said the conflict demonstrates how drones and autonomous or remotely operated systems can affect surveillance, targeting and combat, offering lessons for US military planning.
What is Project Agincourt?
Project Agincourt is an effort to revise how the military acquires, evaluates and deploys drones and related capabilities.