The landscape of warfare is on the brink of transformation as the U.S. Army initiates a new command dedicated to autonomous systems. This move follows closely on the heels of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s announcement of a strategic military command focused on unmanned and robotic warfare.
An October 1 memo from Acting Army Secretary Adam Telle outlines the establishment of the U.S. Army Futures and Autonomous Systems Command (FASCOM). This directive mandates the Army’s vice chief of staff to spearhead FASCOM’s creation, while the assistant secretary of the Army for acquisition, logistics, and technology is tasked with unifying the procurement of autonomous systems under one office. Telle’s directive aligns with guidance from Hegseth’s State of the Force address on September 30.
Details on FASCOM’s leadership, location, and timeline remain undisclosed. Army spokesperson Col. Marty Meiners noted, “Specifics on structure, command, mission, etc. will be announced at a future date,” as reported by Defense News.
The newly proposed acquisition office, titled Portfolio Acquisition Executive for Autonomy, will oversee the procurement of the Army’s primary autonomous systems. This initiative is a continuation of last year’s restructuring of weapon acquisitions, which introduced six portfolio acquisition executives to manage related program groups. The autonomy sector will be an addition to this structure.
The memo emphasizes the urgency of acquiring and deploying various autonomous systems by fiscal year 2028. These systems span artillery, combat vehicles, resupply watercraft, breaching systems for clearing minefields, reconnaissance, and surveillance technologies, alongside drones and robots designed to collaborate with crewed vehicles and aircraft.
According to an official Army statement, these directives build upon ongoing efforts, including an office established earlier this year to incorporate autonomous technology into weaponry programs. The memo does not specify whether this existing office will transition under the new acquisition office.
The force management office has been tasked with integrating autonomous systems into six unit types: aviation, armor, fires, sustainment, engineer, and training. Additionally, the assistant secretary is instructed to introduce drone and robotics specialist roles across applicable units, building on existing specialties like the 15X tactical unmanned aircraft systems specialist and the 390A robotics technician.
“The Army is rapidly advancing to maintain our lethal edge,” Telle stated in a public release. “We are forging the U.S. Army Futures and Autonomous Systems Command to get cutting-edge technology into the hands of soldiers, while prioritizing autonomy in our formations, our acquisitions, and our training to dominate the future of warfare.”
Hegseth’s declaration of the Autonomous Warfare Command, or AutoWarCom, during his September 30 address at Marine Corps Base Quantico, was reported by Military Times. He described the command as possessing service-like authorities to enhance autonomous capabilities across military branches.
In his memo, “Project Agincourt: Pathway to the Autonomous Warfare Command,” signed concurrently with his address, Hegseth assigned the Pentagon’s unmanned systems office to lay the groundwork for AutoWarCom, aiming for establishment by October 1, 2027.
Hegseth linked the project to the historic 1415 Battle of Agincourt, where the English army overcame a larger French force using the longbow. The memo argues that today’s inexpensive, precision weapons threaten traditional military assets like aircraft and ships.
AutoWarCom is envisioned as a four-star functional combatant command, similar to U.S. Cyber Command, with its own manpower, budget, and equipment authority, subject to congressional approval. The unmanned systems office is instructed to collaborate with Congress on necessary legislation.
The Agincourt memo states AutoWarCom will “define joint needs and integrate Service-provided forces in support of geographic combatant commanders,” the top officers leading U.S. forces in various regions. It calls for a detailed plan by October 30 to outline command relationships and service contributions. Telle’s memo does not clarify FASCOM’s position in this structure.
The FASCOM title resurrects “Futures” after the Army disbanded Army Futures Command last year. In October 2025, the service merged it with Training and Doctrine Command to form the Army Transformation and Training Command, or T2COM, headquartered in Austin, Texas.
Questions about FASCOM’s relationship with T2COM remain unanswered. A T2COM spokesperson redirected inquiries to Army headquarters. Col. Meiners mentioned the Army has no further information beyond its release.
