U.S. Army Establishes Future and Autonomous Systems Command

Reference News Network reported on October 17 According to the U.S. Defense News Weekly website on October 14, just one day after U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced the establishment of an autonomous operations command led by a four-star general, the U.S. Army ordered the formation of an autonomous systems command under its own branch.

Acting Army Secretary Adam T. Smith signed a memorandum on October 1, directing the Army Deputy Chief of Staff to establish the U.S. Army Future Autonomous Systems Command. The memorandum also requires the Army Assistant Secretary responsible for procurement, logistics, and technology to set up a dedicated office to unify the procurement of key autonomous systems.

The memorandum did not specify the future commander, location, or establishment date of the Autonomous Systems Command.

The newly established procurement office will have unified decision-making authority over the procurement of key autonomous systems for the Army.

The memorandum also requires the completion of procurement and fielding of multiple autonomous systems by no later than fiscal year 2028. The list includes firepower equipment, combat vehicles, water supply vessels, obstacle-clearing systems for minefields, reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition systems, as well as drones and robots that can work in coordination with manned vehicles and aircraft.

The memorandum tasks the Army Staff's Force Management Office (responsible for force structure and equipment planning) to quickly study how to assign autonomous systems to at least six existing force types: aviation, armor, fire support, logistics, engineering, and training units.

The memorandum also requires the Army Assistant Secretary responsible for human resources and personnel policy to add specialized positions for drones and robots in all adapting units.

Smith stated in a release from the Army, “The Army is accelerating its development to maintain our lethality advantage. We are establishing the U.S. Army Future Autonomous Systems Command to ensure that cutting-edge technology is delivered to soldiers as quickly as possible, while prioritizing the development of autonomous capabilities in force structure, equipment procurement, and training systems, thereby gaining control of future warfare.”

According to Army Times, Hegseth announced the establishment of the Autonomous Operations Command during a speech at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia on September 30. He stated that the command would have near-independent service-like authority to scale the development of autonomous and robotic combat capabilities across the entire military. (Translated by Guo Jun)