US defence secretary Pete Hegseth has announced the creation of the Autonomous Warfare Command (Autowarcom), led by a four-star officer, to spearhead the military’s use of unmanned weapons. The initiative was unveiled during his 'state of the force' speech at Marine Base Quantico in Virginia, where he declared the 'warrior ethos has been revived' after criticizing prior focus on diversity and inclusion. Hegseth stated the military was no longer 'weak' or 'woke', using derogatory language to describe those he believes do not belong.
He confirmed a 20 per cent reduction in the military’s top brass and launched a broadside against news organisations covering the Iran war, calling their coverage 'anti-American' and 'treason'. Hegseth also introduced 'Project Meridian', led by Elon Musk, Palmer Luckey, and Newt Gingrich, to study the future of warfare with findings due in 120 days. Additional announcements included plans for a new domestic military base to host 15,000 to 25,000 troops, dubbed 'Fortress America', and an 'energy insurance policy' to ensure installations can generate independent power.
Hegseth acknowledged expected internal resistance to Autowarcom but emphasized its parity with commands like US Central Command and US Special Operations Command.
Source: Financial Times Companies · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing