SOUTHCOM establishes autonomous warfare command

U.S. Marine Gen. Francis L. Donovan, commander of U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), has directed the establishment of the SOUTHCOM Autonomous Warfare Command (SAWC) to support the U.S. President’s National Security Strategy priorities, U.S. Secretary of War’s National Defense Strategy lines of effort, SOUTHCOM imperatives, regional security cooperation, and operational dominance.

“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,” Donovan said.

Once fully established, the command will employ autonomous, semi-autonomous, and unmanned platforms and systems to counter threats and challenges across domains, linking tactical missions to long-term strategic effects. It will also collaborate closely with Allies and partners in the region to advance shared goals, including disrupting and degrading narcoterrorist and cartel networks, and responding to life-threatening crises caused by large-scale natural disasters.

In preparation for SAWC’s launch, SOUTHCOM will work with the military services and the U.S. Department of War’s Defense Autonomous Warfare Group (DAWG) to identify available expertise and capabilities required for the new command to commence operations and fully integrate into SOUTHCOM’s mission.

“Our geographic area of responsibility has a wide range of conditions, varied terrain, and diverse operational environments that make it an ideal setting in which to innovate. It is also a region with very capable and committed security partners who lean forward, embrace technologies and are very eager to work collaboratively with us to support regional stability in new and effective ways,” the SOUTHCOM Commander added.

Earlier this year, Donovan signaled his intent to leverage emerging technologies in his written posture statement to Congress, telling lawmakers he intended “to capitalize on next generation capabilities like unmanned platforms, AI integration, and commercial tools to better enable us and our partners to counter … threats together.” In March, while outlining his imperatives to armed services committee members on Capitol Hill, he said he aimed to develop and field cost-effective and modernized forces tailored for the SOUTHCOM mission, including autonomous systems and human-machine teaming, “to greatly increase lethality, all-domain awareness, and data sharing for U.S. and partner forces.”

SOUTHCOM is one of the nation’s six geographically focused unified commands, responsible for U.S. defense and security cooperation with partner nations in the Caribbean, Central America and South America, as well as U.S. military operations in the region.