# DoD Plans Autonomous Warfare Command

On September 30, 2026, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced plans for a four-star Autonomous Warfare Command and Project Agincourt, an interim effort intended to accelerate autonomy prototyping and connect operational units, engineers, and industry. The command is targeted for establishment by October 1, 2027, but its proposed authorities depend on congressional action. The Pentagon also announced Project Meridian to assess future-warfare capability gaps, with findings due January 28, 2027. The FY2027 request for the Defense Autonomous Warfare Group was $54.6 billion; congressional committees that had acted by September had reduced it by $1 billion. No solicitation, contract award, vendor selection, or procurement contact has been announced.

- Project Agincourt points to potential prototype and rapid-iteration opportunities in unmanned and autonomous systems, but contractors should not treat the announcement as an active bid.
- The command’s planned authorities and the FY2027 funding level remain subject to congressional decisions, so acquisition timing and available funding are uncertain.
- Project Meridian’s findings are due January 28, 2027; companies with relevant capabilities can use the stated capability-gap study and interim prototyping effort to assess potential alignment with future DoD requirements.

**Jurisdictions:** federal
**Industries:** Defense & Military
**Topics:** Artificial Intelligence, Grants & Funding
**Published:** October 01, 2026

### Government Entities
- U.S. Department of Defense (DoD)
- Autonomous Warfare Command (AutoWarCom)
- Defense Innovation Unit (DIU)
- Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC)

### Vendors
- SpaceX ()
- Anduril ()

### Key Quotes
> The future of warfare is not about developing new strategies or new policies. We already do that. Rather, its purpose is to creatively look to the future and identify the domains that we must conquer and capabilities we must master.
> — Pete Hegseth, Secretary of Defense

### Sources
- [September 30, 2026 | TechCrunch](https://techcrunch.com/2026/09/30) - TechCrunch
- [Hegseth Announces Plans For New Autonomous Warfare Command, Project Meridian Panel - Defense Daily](https://www.defensedaily.com/hegseth-announces-plans-for-new-autonomous-warfare-command-project-meridian-panel/unmanned-systems) - Defense Daily
- [Hegseth announces plans for new 4-star drone command, among other initiatives - Breaking Defense](https://breakingdefense.com/2026/09/hegseth-announces-plans-for-new-4-star-drone-command-further-general-officer-cuts) - Breaking Defense