The Pentagon announced Wednesday it is consolidating oversight of all military drones and autonomous systems under a newly created office as the Department of War moves to accelerate development and fielding of the technology across the armed forces.According to a War Department memo, the newly established Direct Reporting Portfolio Manager for Unmanned Systems will report directly to Deputy Secretary of War Stephen Feinberg, and oversee unmanned and autonomous systems across the land, sea and air domains.The office also will oversee funding, acquisition and policy for unmanned systems programs currently spread across the military services, the Defense Innovation Unit, Joint Interagency Task Force 401 and the Defense Autonomous Warfare Group.CHINA’S GRIP ON RARE-EARTH MAGNETS COULD CRUSH US DRONE INDUSTRY BEFORE IT GROWSThe Pentagon is consolidating oversight of all military drones and autonomous systems under a newly created office.(Jeff Gritchen/MediaNews Group/Orange County Register via Getty Images, File)The move is intended to centralize oversight of the Pentagon's rapidly expanding drone and autonomous systems programs."Drones and autonomous systems represent the most consequential battlefield innovation of this generation," Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement announcing the reorganization."Adversaries collectively produce millions of unmanned systems each year across all domains," he continued.
"While global military production has skyrocketed over the last three years, the United States must move at the speed this moment demands to field these capabilities at scale and secure our tactical and strategic edge."'A NEW KIND OF WAR': INSIDE UKRAINE'S HIDDEN FACTORIES MASS-PRODUCING COMBAT DRONESLow-cost Unmanned Combat Attack System (LUCAS) drones at U.S.Central Command (CENTCOM).
(U.S.Central Command Public Affairs, File)The announcement follows the Trump administration's broader push to expand the military's use of drones and autonomo...