US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has announced plans to cut the number of generals and admirals in the US military by 20 per cent, while unveiling a new four-star command focused on autonomous and robotic warfare.According to news agency AP, Hegseth made the announcements during his “State of the Force” address at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia on Wednesday. He said the military services would double a 10% reduction ordered last spring for roughly 800 flag and general officer positions, bringing the total planned reduction to 20% by January 1, 2027.“I call it accountability and long overdue,” Hegseth said while announcing the cuts.The Pentagon chief also announced plans to create a new four-star command to oversee the development and deployment of autonomous and robotic military capabilities. He described the move as part of what he called the “fastest peacetime shift in modern military history.”Hegseth said the US military needed to adapt to the changing nature of warfare, pointing to the growing use of drones on battlefields, including in Ukraine and the ongoing conflict with Iran.“Ukraine’s lesson is not that one type of drone wins wars, but rather the need for a purpose-built system that maximizes the ability to adapt,” Hegseth said.The announcement comes after a US Army unit in Europe that specialised in drone warfare was recently ordered to end its efforts and return to its traditional role as an infantry battalion. A bipartisan group of lawmakers subsequently asked the Army to explain the decision, citing the increasing importance of uncrewed systems in modern warfare.
Hegseth faces criticism over military leadership cuts
The planned reduction in senior military positions has drawn questions from members of Congress. Some lawmakers have described the move as a purge of the military’s top ranks and warned that rebuilding the leadership structure could take years.Democratic Senator Mark Kelly, a former Navy combat pilot and NASA astronaut, criticised Hegseth’s approach to military leadership.“He’s purging a generation of great leaders of the military, and it’s going to take a generation to recover from it,” Kelly said.Republican Senator Mike Rounds, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said he wanted to understand the reasoning behind the cuts.“If it’s simply a matter of eliminating a very heavy top, there may be some validity to it, but I want to see it first,” Rounds said.
Musk, Gingrich to study future of warfare
Hegseth also announced a study on the future of warfare involving SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, former Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich and Palmer Luckey, co-founder of defence technology company Anduril Industries.He said the initiative would focus on developing weapons and systems needed for future battlefields, including technologies capable of operating across a range of environments.The Pentagon chief also announced plans for a new military base, inviting all 50 US states to compete to host between 15,000 and 25,000 service members. Another proposal would make every US military base self-powered.The announcements form part of Hegseth’s broader effort to restructure the US military and shift its focus towards what he describes as war-fighting capabilities.