Pentagon Creates New Office to Consolidate Drone and Autonomous Systems Programs

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth consolidated nearly all Pentagon drone and autonomous systems programs under a single new office that reports directly to his deputy. Defense News reported that a June 29 memo, made public Wednesday, created the Direct Reporting Portfolio Manager for Unmanned Systems.

The office will serve as the single joint integrator for unmanned and autonomous system programs across the Department of Defense, Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell said.

Its director, still to be named, will answer to Deputy Secretary of Defense Stephen Feinberg. The office will oversee development, purchase, fielding and sustainment of unmanned systems in air, ground and sea domains, including small drones in groups 1 through 3, unmanned boats, ground robots, counter-drone systems, and associated artificial intelligence and swarming software.

Unmanned underwater vehicles will be managed jointly with the submarine portfolio manager.

The office holds no authority over major defense acquisition programs such as the Air Force’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft, the Navy’s MQ-25 Stingray, MQ-4C Triton or medium unmanned surface vessel. Joint Interagency Task Force 401, previously focused on small aerial drones, will expand to all domains and move under the new office along with the Defense Autonomous Warfare Group.

Staff and positions from both organizations will remain in place.

The Pentagon’s latest budget request allocated $53.6 billion for autonomous drone platforms. The Defense Innovation Unit was named the single point of contact for the portfolio. The director will act as milestone decision authority, serve as the top buying official on contracts, direct the comptroller to shift funds between programs, and halt any system from reaching the field.