The Pentagon is moving autonomous warfare from experimental programs into a permanent military structure.
The planned Autonomous Warfare Command will focus on drones, artificial intelligence, robotics, and related battlefield technologies.
The initiative reflects a wider push toward cheaper systems that militaries can deploy at scale. It also raises new questions about procurement, oversight and the rules governing military AI.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the Autonomous Warfare Command, or AutoWarCom, on September 30 in Quantico, Virginia. He said military technology was changing faster than the systems responsible for acquiring and deploying it.
AutoWarCom would operate under a four-star officer and oversee autonomous and robotic capabilities across the armed forces. The Pentagon intends to establish it as a new combatant command, following U.S. Space Command’s creation in 2019.
Project Agincourt prepares Pentagon for 2027 launch
Project Agincourt will lead preparations for the Autonomous Warfare Command ahead of its planned October 1, 2027 launch. Owen West and Max Strasiser have been selected to lead the initial work as CEO and COO, respectively.
The initiative requires planners to develop the organization while working with Congress on necessary legislation. AutoWarCom will seek to accelerate how the Pentagon develops, purchases, and deploys unmanned and autonomous systems.
Hegseth said the military needs both quality and quantity as battlefield economics change. Recent conflicts have demonstrated how inexpensive drones can challenge significantly more expensive military equipment.
RAND reached a similar conclusion in January. Its researchers found cheaper AI-enabled uncrewed systems could deliver “affordable mass” in some missions while costly platforms retain important roles.
Ukraine has provided a major test case for this model. Reuters reported estimates that drones account for about 70% of Russian casualties in the conflict.
Military AI expansion extends beyond drones
AutoWarCom could increase demand for targeting software, sensors, computer vision, cybersecurity and command-and-control technology. Cloud infrastructure, edge computing and autonomous platforms could also play larger roles.
Fortune Business Insights values the military AI market at $22.41 billion in 2026. It projects the sector could reach $101.02 billion by 2034, with Asia-Pacific growing fastest.
The Pentagon has already widened its relationships with major AI companies. Agreements announced May 1 covered SpaceX, OpenAI, Google, Nvidia, Reflection AI, Microsoft and Amazon Web Services. Oracle later joined, bringing the group to eight companies authorized for classified network deployments.
Meanwhile, the Pentagon’s GenAI.mil platform attracted more than 1.3 million users within six months, according to Reuters.
However, governance remains contested as military AI capabilities expand. Carnegie scholar Steve Feldstein told Congress in September that accelerating AI proliferation was creating a “norms vacuum.”
The Pentagon also remains in litigation with Anthropic. A federal appeals court recently upheld its designation as a military supply-chain risk after disputes over restrictions involving autonomous weapons and mass surveillance.
AutoWarCom still requires further planning and congressional involvement before becoming operational. The next stage will show how lawmakers authorize, fund and structure the Pentagon’s planned autonomous warfare command.
