A U.S. Marine with the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit checks a Quantum Systems Vector drone during unmanned aerial systems operations at Camp Santiago, Puerto Rico, on Jan. 11, 2026. (Emily Hazelbaker/U.S. Marine Corps)
The leader of U.S. Southern Command has directed the establishment of the SOUTHCOM Autonomous Warfare Command, the combatant command announced Tuesday. It will focus on the use of drones and emerging technology to counter threats.
“From the seafloor to space and across the cyber domain, we fully intend to leverage the clear superiority of the American defense ecosystem by deploying cutting-edge innovation and working ever closer with our enduring partners in the region to outmatch those who threaten our collective peace and security,” Marine Corps Gen. Francis Donovan said in a statement.
The statement did not say how long it would take to establish the warfare command; SOUTHCOM did not respond immediately to a request for comment.
“Once fully established, the new command will be dedicated to employing autonomous, semiautonomous and unmanned platforms and systems to counter threats and challenges across domains, linking tactical missions to long-term strategic effects,” the statement said.
The Pentagon’s $1.5 trillion budget request unveiled Tuesday wants to triple spending on drones and related autonomous technologies to more than $74 billion.
The SOUTHCOM announcement comes after U.S. Central Command in September said it would set up a new task force to quickly get drones and cutting-edge technology to troops in 60 days or fewer.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in July issued new policies aimed at cutting through bureaucratic red tape that limited the military’s ability to quickly purchase and field small drones with vast capabilities. Such drones could be used to gather intelligence, drop supplies to troops or deliver lethal munitions on enemy positions.
SOUTHCOM oversees U.S. operations in Central and South America, as well as the Caribbean. Since early September, SOUTHCOM has been involved in more than 50 strikes on alleged drug boats and killed at least 181 people in the Caribbean and the Eastern Pacific Ocean.
Shortly after taking office, President Donald Trump designated several drug cartels as terrorist organizations, including Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua. His administration has asserted that the U.S. is in an “armed conflict” with cartels and will treat their members as “unlawful combatants.” The administration, however, has offered little evidence to support its claims of killing “narcoterrorists.”
