US Southern Command Establishes Autonomous Warfare Command
United States Southern Command created the Autonomous Warfare Command to deploy unmanned systems and AI against cartel networks and natural disasters across Latin America and the Caribbean.
The United States Southern Command announced the establishment of the SOUTHCOM Autonomous Warfare Command (SAWC) on April 21, 2026. Mandated by Commander General Francis L. Donovan, the unit is the first of its kind created by a combatant command. SAWC will integrate autonomous, semi-autonomous, and unmanned platforms across the seafloor, space, and cyber domains to counter regional threats.
The command focuses on disrupting narcoterrorist and cartel networks and responding to large-scale natural disasters. General Donovan noted that the diverse terrain of Central America, South America, and the Caribbean provides an ideal setting for innovating human-machine teaming to increase lethality and data sharing. This initiative follows the January activation of Space Forces Southern and aligns with a Pentagon budget request to triple spending on drones and autonomous technologies to over $74 billion.
To finalize operational capabilities, SAWC will collaborate with military services and the Department of War's Defense Autonomous Warfare Group. The effort is further supported by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who issued policies to streamline the procurement and fielding of small drones by reducing bureaucratic barriers.
