War Secretary Pete Hegseth has directed the Pentagon to consolidate nearly all of its drone and autonomous systems under one office in what the department called "the most consequential battlefield innovation of this generation."

The Direct Reporting Portfolio Manager for Unmanned Systems will become "the single joint integrator for all unmanned and autonomous system programs within" the War Department, Hegseth wrote in a June 29 memo that the Pentagon released Wednesday.

The memo was addressed to senior Pentagon leaders, combatant commanders, and the directors of defense agencies and War Department field activities.

The new office builds on a June 6 executive order by President Donald Trump directing the federal government to eliminate regulatory barriers, pivot toward a fully independent domestic manufacturing base, and accelerate production to establish global leadership in the unmanned aircraft systems sector.

The director, who has yet to be named, will answer to Deputy War Secretary Stephen Feinberg and oversee how the military develops, buys, fields, and sustains unmanned systems in the air, on the ground, and at sea.

"This structural reorganization directly implements a series of decisive actions taken by the administration. Drones and autonomous systems represent the most consequential battlefield innovation of this generation," chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement.

"Adversaries collectively produce millions of unmanned systems each year across all domains.

"While global military production has skyrocketed over the last three years, the United States must move at the speed this moment demands to field these capabilities at scale and secure our tactical and strategic edge."

Hegseth's memo outlined the office's mandate. It will oversee small- to medium-sized military drones, including the reconnaissance and tactical drones commonly used by military units, as well as uncrewed boats, ground robots, and systems designed to defend against drones.

It also covers the artificial intelligence and swarming software that guides them. Unmanned underwater vehicles will be handled jointly with the Pentagon's submarine portfolio manager.

The memo directs the office to oversee two existing organizations: Joint Interagency Task Force 401 and the Defense Autonomous Warfare Group.

Task Force 401 will expand from leading the fight against small aerial drones to countering unmanned threats in every domain. The Warfare Group, the Pentagon's effort to mass-produce inexpensive drones, will become a subordinate element.

The office will serve as the milestone decision authority for designated programs, determining whether weapon systems advance through development, and it will take precedence on drone acquisition matters behind only Hegseth and Feinberg.

The office can serve as the senior procurement executive and head of the contracting activity for its programs, direct the services to shift money between programs through the Pentagon comptroller, and stop any system from reaching the field.

The memo said the office's programs, jobs, and personnel are exempt from the department's hiring freezes, personnel reductions, and reductions in force. It also gave its chief the power to hire directly.

The memo also lays out a staffing timeline. Once a director is named, hiring is to begin within 30 days, an organizational plan is expected within 60 days, and a list of the programs moving under the office is expected within 90 days.

However, the office will not manage current major defense acquisition programs, such as the Air Force's Collaborative Combat Aircraft program or the Navy's MQ-25 Stingray carrier-based refueling drone. It also excludes the Navy's current medium unmanned surface vessel program.