Pentagon Proposes Massive Increase in Autonomous Warfare Funding for FY2027
The Pentagon has requested a dramatic expansion of spending on drone and autonomous systems in its fiscal year 2027 defense budget proposal.
The overall request totals 1.5 trillion dollars, including 1.15 trillion dollars in base discretionary funding and 350 billion dollars through reconciliation.
Within this plan, the newly created Defense Autonomous Warfare Group, or DAWG, would receive 54.6 billion dollars. That marks a jump from just 225 million dollars the previous year, a roughly 24,000 percent increase.
The DAWG allocation exceeds the entire proposed budget for the Marine Corps, which stands at 52.8 billion dollars. It represents nearly 15 percent of the reconciliation package and focuses on accelerating development, testing, and fielding of low-cost autonomous drones, uncrewed aircraft, and vessels.
The surge reflects lessons from recent conflicts showing the effectiveness of attritable unmanned systems against peer adversaries. Much of the funding would support research, development, and procurement routed through reconciliation to speed implementation.
Congress must still review and approve the request, where questions about oversight and execution are likely to arise. The proposal underscores a strategic shift toward integrating more autonomous capabilities into future U.S. military operations.
