- War Secretary Pete Hegseth established the DRPM-UxS, a new direct-report position to oversee all Pentagon drone and counter-drone efforts
- The role covers UAS groups 1–3, surface and underwater vessels, ground systems, AI and swarming software, counter-drone, and drone and counter-drone marketplaces
- Senior Pentagon officials will discuss military drone and autonomy efforts at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2026 Air and Space Summit on July 30 and the 2026 Navy Summit on Aug. 27
The Department of War is consolidating almost all unmanned and autonomous systems programs under a new direct-report position.
In a seven-page memorandum published Wednesday, War Secretary Pete Hegseth, a two-time Wash100 winner, said that the new direct-reporting portfolio manager for unmanned offensive and defensive systems, or DRPM-UxS, will oversee department-wide drone and counter-drone investments and operations.
“Drones and autonomous systems are the most consequential battlefield innovation of this generation,” Hegseth wrote in the memo. “The DOW must move at the speed this moment demands.”
The Pentagon has yet to name an interim DRPM-UxS. Once appointed, the official will report to Deputy War Secretary Stephen Feinberg.
Drones have emerged as critical tools in modern warfare, redefining how the militaries around the world fight. As the Pentagon bolsters its drone and counter-drone capabilities, top decision-makers from across DOW will discuss how forces are utilizing unmanned technologies to support military operations at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2026 Air and Space Summit on July 30 and 2026 Navy Summit on Aug. 27. Get your tickets here!
What Are the Responsibilities of the New Project Manager?
According to the memo, the DRPM-UxS will serve as the Pentagon’s “single joint integrator for all unmanned and autonomous system programs.”
The official will have authority over the management, integration, acquisition, production, and test, evaluation and fielding of the following UxS categories:
- Unmanned aerial system groups 1 through 3
- Unmanned surface and underwater vessels
- Unmanned ground systems
- Autonomy, artificial intelligence and swarming software
- Counter-unmanned systems
- Unmanned and counter-unmanned systems marketplaces
- Unmanned systems logistics support
The DRPM, however, does not have authority over major defense acquisition programs and the Navy’s current medium USV programs.
How Does the Memo Align With Trump’s Drone Agenda?
The memo supports President Donald Trump’s executive order on strengthening U.S. leadership in the development of unmanned systems. Issued in June 2025, the Unleashing American Drone Dominance EO tasked Hegseth and the Pentagon to ensure that platforms in the Defense Innovation Unit’s Blue UAS List can operate on military bases and can integrate into the national airspace system.
“This structural reorganization directly implements a series of decisive actions taken by the administration,” Sean Parnell, DOW’s chief spokesperson, stated in a press release.
