WASHINGTON (Realist English). US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth signed a memorandum on June 29 establishing the Direct Reporting Portfolio Manager for Unmanned Systems (DRPM-UxS).
The new structure, informally dubbed the “drone czar,” consolidates nearly all Pentagon programmes in the field of unmanned and autonomous systems under a single leadership.
Its director, whose name has not yet been announced, will report directly to Deputy Defence Secretary Stephen Feinberg.
As Pentagon Press Secretary Sean Parnell stated, unmanned and autonomous systems are “the most significant tactical innovation of this generation.”
Authority and Scope: A Single Integrator for All Unmanned Systems
According to the memorandum, DRPM-UxS becomes the “single joint integrator of all unmanned and autonomous systems programmes” within the Pentagon. The office is granted the authority to:
- serve as the milestone decision authority for its programmes;
- have priority in the procurement of unmanned systems, second only to Hegseth and his deputy;
- act as the lead procurement official for its contracts;
- through the Pentagon’s comptroller, reallocate funds between programmes and halt the deployment of any system.
The office gains control over a wide range of systems:
| Category | What It Includes |
| Unmanned aerial vehicles | Groups 1–3 (small and medium drones) |
| Ground robotic systems | All autonomous ground vehicles |
| Maritime drones | Nearly all surface vessels (except the Navy’s Medium Unmanned Surface Vessel programme) |
| Underwater vehicles | Jointly with the Navy’s undersea warfare director, Vice Admiral Robert Gaucher |
| Software | Autonomy systems, AI and swarm control |
| Counter‑drone systems | All types of drone defence systems |
| Procurement platforms | Existing drone “marketplaces” |
| Logistics | Supply chain support for unmanned systems |
At the same time, major aviation platforms remain under the services’ control: the Air Force’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft, the Navy’s MQ‑25 Stingray refuelling drones and MQ‑4C Triton reconnaissance aircraft, as well as the Medium Unmanned Surface Vessel programme, are not transferred to the new office.
Centralisation Without Relocation: Organisational Structure
Two existing organisations are transferred under DRPM‑UxS:
- The Joint Interagency Task Force 401 (JIATF 401), previously focused on counter‑small drone efforts, expands its mission to counter‑unmanned threats across all domains.
- The Defense Autonomous Warfare Group (DAWG), responsible for mass production of low‑cost drones, becomes a subordinate element.
The personnel and positions of these organisations are not relocated. The Defence Innovation Unit (DIU) is designated as the Pentagon’s primary channel for engaging commercial manufacturers for all programmes within the new portfolio. In addition, DRPM‑UxS will lead a working group on the small drone industrial base.
Funding and Deadlines: $75 Billion and a Tight Schedule
The new office receives one of the largest budget increases in Pentagon history. The FY2027 request allocates $75 billion for unmanned systems and counter‑drone capabilities, of which $54.6 billion is directed to DAWG. The memorandum also exempts the new office’s programmes, positions and personnel from existing Pentagon hiring freezes and staff reductions.
Timeline for establishing the office:
- 30 days — hire staff;
- 60 days — present the organisational structure to the deputy secretary;
- 90 days — present a department‑wide inventory of drone programmes and an implementation plan;
- 120 days — present a master implementation plan;
- Monthly — progress reports.
Centralisation as a Response to Lagging Behind
Hegseth acknowledged in the memorandum that “adversaries collectively produce millions of unmanned systems annually across all domains,” and while “global military drone production has surged over the past three years, the United States has been slow to scale up these capabilities.”
In his view, “drones and autonomous systems are the most significant tactical innovation of this generation,” and the Pentagon “must move at the speed required by this moment.”
The new structure effectively mirrors the model applied by the US Air Force in late 2025, when several major programmes were transferred under a direct‑reporting portfolio manager for critical weapons systems.
As experts note, this change is one of Hegseth’s most significant moves to centralise and accelerate the development and procurement of unmanned systems amid growing competition with China and other adversaries.
