Pentagon to create Autonomous Warfare Command and launch 120-day study with Musk, Luckey and Gingrich
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced the creation of the Autonomous Warfare Command (AutoWarCom), a new Pentagon structure tasked with developing and deploying drones, robotic and other autonomous combat systems, scheduled to begin operations in October 2027. He also launched Project Meridian, a 120-day study of the future of warfare, recruiting SpaceX founder Elon Musk, Anduril founder Palmer Luckey and former US House Speaker Newt Gingrich. In parallel, the Pentagon is building a large-scale US production chain for inexpensive unmanned systems and has brought six Ukrainian companies into Gauntlet II trials and joint ventures with American manufacturers.
Key points
- AutoWarCom is to develop and deploy drones, robotic and other autonomous combat systems; operations are scheduled to begin in October 2027.
- AutoWarCom will be led by a four-star general whose candidacy has not yet been determined.
- Project Meridian is a 120-day study; its results are expected in roughly four months.
- Hegseth recruited Elon Musk, Palmer Luckey and Newt Gingrich for the study.
- Owen West and Max Struszicer are on AutoWarCom's initial team.
- Pentagon officials acknowledge the US significantly lags behind Ukraine in drone production; one goal is a large-scale US supply chain for inexpensive unmanned systems.
- Six Ukrainian companies were invited to Gauntlet II trials in the US; all six have set up or are setting up joint ventures with American manufacturers, and US-based production is a condition for future orders.
- US officials estimate Ukraine may produce 6–7 million small strike FPV drones in 2026.
Why it matters
The Pentagon is institutionalising autonomous and unmanned warfare in a dedicated four-star command, while publicly treating Ukraine as the benchmark for speed of adaptation in drone warfare. Bringing Musk, Luckey and Gingrich into Project Meridian signals that future US force design will be shaped by Silicon Valley leadership and political heavyweights, not just uniformed planners. For Ukraine, the move opens a route for six of its drone makers into US testing and joint production, but only on the condition that they localise manufacturing in the United States.
What happened
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced the creation of the Autonomous Warfare Command (AutoWarCom), a new Pentagon command charged with accelerating the procurement, testing and deployment of unmanned and robotic combat systems. It is scheduled to begin operations in October 2027 and will eventually be headed by a four-star general whose name has not yet been chosen. The initial team includes former Marine and ex-Pentagon official Owen West and former SEAL and test pilot Max Struszicer.
In parallel, Hegseth launched Project Meridian, a 120-day study of the future of warfare whose participants are to analyse how new technologies may change combat and propose concepts to the Pentagon. Hegseth recruited SpaceX founder Elon Musk, Anduril founder Palmer Luckey and former US House Speaker Newt Gingrich to take part. Results are expected in roughly four months.
A central goal of the new US strategy is the construction of a large-scale American production chain for inexpensive unmanned systems. Pentagon officials have previously acknowledged that the US significantly lags behind Ukraine in drone production; US officials estimate Ukraine may manufacture 6–7 million small strike FPV drones in 2026. Six Ukrainian companies have been invited to Gauntlet II trials in the US; all six have established or are establishing joint ventures with American manufacturers, and localising output in the US is a condition for future orders.
Background
AutoWarCom will eventually be led by a four-star general whose candidacy has not yet been determined. Project Meridian runs for 120 days, with results expected in approximately four months. According to US officials' estimates, Ukraine may produce 6–7 million small strike FPV drones in 2026.