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Funding, force-structure issues could hinder Hegseth’s new autonomous command
The Pentagon's planned Autonomous Warfare Command faces unresolved funding and organizational requirements despite a one-year deadline to establish the new combatant command. The department seeks $54 billion originally requested for the Defense Autonomous Warfare Group through a separate reconciliation bill, whose passage remains uncertain. AUTOWARCOM is intended to accelerate autonomous-technology acquisition, but its service components, specialist personnel structure and relationship with operational units are still being developed. The Army has redesignated Futures and Concepts Command as Futures and Autonomy Command, while the Navy and Air Force are assessing arrangements and the Pentagon has not identified an alternative funding plan.