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Hegseth announces a new drone command and cuts to 20% of generals in ‘State of the Force’ speech

Hegseth said the new command will speed drone and AI adoption as the Pentagon seeks to cut 20% of general and flag officer billets.

  • On Wednesday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the creation of Autonomous Warfare Command , a new four-star combatant command designed to centralize and scale robotic capabilities across the joint force.
  • Citing lessons from Ukraine, Hegseth emphasized the need for purpose-built systems that can adapt rapidly to battlefield requirements, shifting Pentagon strategy toward a 'high-low mix' of expensive and lower-cost autonomous platforms.
  • Project Agincourt will prototype 'warfighting acquisition' cycles led by Owen West, Defense Innovation Unit Director, and Navy SEAL Senior Chief Max Strasiser; Project Meridian will study future warfare under Elon Musk, Newt Gingrich, and Palmer Luckey.
  • General and flag officer ranks will face a 20% reduction by January 1, 2027, a move Sen. Jack Reed, ranking Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, condemned as 'reckless, partisan' actions that damaged military leadership.
  • Pentagon officials target October 1, 2027, for AutoWarCom's launch, contingent on Congressional approval, while an initial report on future warfare domains is due January 28, 2027, to accelerate autonomous technology fielding.
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U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hexeth announced a restructuring of the military, establishing a four-star command to oversee drone technology and automation, and reducing the number of generals and senior officers by 20% by early 2027.

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نُشر هذا مقاعد ولاً عبر Cedarnews.net. To follow more of the news and reports, click on our website. US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has just announced several major reforms to the military, including a drone operations command center. تم نشر هذا الخبر عبر موقع Cedarnews الشبابري. For more information, visit our official website.

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Federal News Network broke the news in Chevy Chase, United States on Wednesday, September 30, 2026.
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