Elodie Collins 
- AUTOWARCOM will be a command with its own budget and acquisition authorities
- Owen West and Max Strasiser will lead Project Agincourt
- Military and industry leaders will discuss AI, autonomy and unmanned systems at the 2027 Defense R&D Summit on Feb. 4
The conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East highlight the critical role drones play in modern combat. To respond to evolving battlefield requirements, the Department of War is establishing the Autonomous Warfare Command, or AUTOWARCOM, to scale unmanned, autonomous and artificial intelligence capabilities across the Armed Forces.
War Secretary Pete Hegseth announced plans to stand up the new command during his State of the Force address on Sept. 30. The two-time Wash100 winner said the command is intended to address traditional acquisition cycles that struggle to keep pace with the rapid evolution of combat technology.
With the Department of War investing more in AI, autonomy and unmanned systems, the Potomac Officers Club is dedicating multiple panels to discuss the technologies and how they are changing the way the services operate and fight at the 2027 Defense R&D Summit on Feb. 4. The event will bring together decision-makers from the Pentagon and innovators from industry to identify advanced capabilities enhancing warfighter efficiency, lethality and survivability. Tickets are now available here!
What Is the Autonomous Warfare Command?
AUTOWARCOM will become a combatant command that will have budget and acquisition authorities, just like other services, and will offer dedicated military career pathways for officers and enlisted personnel, according to a memo issued in September.
Once fully operational, AUTOWARCOM will:
- Define joint force requirements
- Integrate service-provided forces to support geographic combatant commanders
- Test technologies during live exercises and in real-world operational environments
Speaking at the Association of the U.S. Army in October, Hegseth said AUTOWARCOM will also ensure that autonomous systems developed across services and combatant commands can operate together.
“This AUTOWARCOM is what’s going to create that multidomain, that domain synthesis that you need so that, from space to what we’re doing sub-sea in autonomy, is able to work together in a contested environment,” the war secretary shared.
A four-star officer, who has yet to be named, will lead AUTOWARCOM. The Pentagon is targeting Oct. 1, 2027, as the new command’s start date.
The U.S. military currently has 11 combatant commands, each responsible for a designated geographic area or specialized mission. The U.S. Space Command was the latest to be established prior to AUTOWARCOM.
What Is Project Agincourt?
Project Agincourt serves as a transitional initiative designed to lay the groundwork for AUTOWARCOM. The short-term effort takes its name from the 1415 Battle of Agincourt, where English troops defeated a much larger French force using what was then a new technology: the longbow, The Independent noted.
Project Agincourt will prototype a new warfighting acquisition model that will team operational forces with autonomous and robotics companies. Hegseth said the approach is intended to move acquisition decisions and funding closer to combatant commands and frontline units, The War Zone reported.
The effort builds on Drone Dominance, an initiative that the Pentagon launched in 2025 to build the military’s arsenal of small, lethal unmanned aerial systems and bolster the domestic manufacturing base.
Officials steering acquisition reforms and technology investments at the Pentagon will take the stage at the 2027 Defense R&D Summit on Feb. 4. The summit will explore advanced defense capabilities, including AI and autonomy, unmanned systems, and wireless connectivity. Get your tickets today!
Who Will Lead Project Agincourt?
Hegseth directed the direct-reporting portfolio manager for unmanned offensive and defensive systems, or DRPM-UxS, to lead Project Agincourt. He named fellow 2026 Wash100 honoree Owen West, director of the Defense Innovation Unit, and U.S. Navy SEAL Senior Chief Max Strasiser as CEO and chief operating officer, respectively, of the DRPM-UxS.
Hegseth established DRPM-UxS under a memorandum issued in June to oversee drone and counter-drone investments and operations across DOW.
Owen West
West is a Marine Corps veteran who served as a platoon commander and reconnaissance platoon commander.
West also has private sector experience, having spent 19 years as a trading partner-in-charge for the global natural gas and U.S. power businesses at Goldman Sachs. During his time at the firm, he took two leaves of absence to deploy to Iraq. For one of his deployments, he served as an adviser to an Iraqi infantry battalion in Anbar Province in 2006.
During the first Trump administration, he was appointed as assistant secretary of war for special operations and low-intensity conflict.
He officially assumed the role of DIU director, succeeding Emil Michael, also a 2026 Wash100 winner, in March.
As co-lead of Project Agincourt, he will oversee risks, resources and scale, Military Times reported.
Max Strasiser
Strasiser is the first enlisted SEAL to graduate from the U.S. Navy Test Pilot School, according to The Next Web. In his new role as COO of DRPM-UxS, he will oversee operational problem-solving and how the systems work in combat.
How Will FASCOM Support AUTOWARCOM?
The U.S. Army has already announced that it will establish the Futures and Autonomous Systems Command, or FASCOM, to support autonomous warfare efforts. FASCOM will serve as the Army’s component command under AUTOWARCOM, mirroring the roles that the Army Cyber Command and Army Special Operations Command play in supporting the U.S. Cyber Command and U.S. Special Operations Command, Defense One reported.
“We’re pushing autonomy down into our units, but when it comes to having and making sure that the left hand in the Army knows what the right hand of the Army is doing,” explained Acting Army Secretary Adam Telle, “this happens at FASCOM; then FASCOM feeds up into AUTOWARCOM.”
He added that FASCOM will work with other services to leverage their collective purchasing power.
Where to Learn More About DOW’s Autonomy & AI Initiatives
The Potomac Officers Club’s 2027 Defense R&D Summit on Feb. 4 will serve as a vital forum to discuss efforts at the Pentagon to accelerate the development, fielding and deployment of autonomous and AI-powered capabilities to support various missions.
The summit will have no fewer than four panels to examine autonomy and AI:
- Trusted by Design: Assuring AI Models, Data and Supply Chains for the Mission
- Signal or Spoof: Building Trusted AI From Commercial and Open-Source Data
- Networks That Run Themselves: AI-Driven Connectivity for the Expeditionary Force
- Beyond R&D: Is AI Ready for War?
Each panel will feature speakers from the military services and industry, allowing public and private sector leaders to address operational challenges and align priorities with capability development. Register here to secure your seat!
