The US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) is opening its first-ever dedicated segment to oversee unmanned missions in Central and South America.

Called the Autonomous Warfare Command (SAWC), the office will manage uncrewed and semi-uncrewed platforms that have the capacity to counter potential actors and other threats across all domains.

The unit will also coordinate with allied forces and partner nations in the region to cripple operations of drug networks and militants while maintaining humanitarian and environmental protection.

The planned detachment will prioritize objectives aligned with the US President’s National Security Strategy, the Defense Secretary’s National Defense Strategy, the command’s imperatives, and other cooperations benefiting posture in Latin America.

Throughout SAWC’s establishment, SOUTHCOM will collaborate with the Pentagon’s newly created Defense Autonomous Warfare Group and related teams to determine solutions and skills to materialize work at the branch.

“From the seafloor to space and across the cyber domain, we fully intend to leverage … cutting-edge innovation and work ever closer with our enduring partners in the region to outmatch those who threaten our collective peace and security,” said US Marines Gen. Francis Donovan, commander of SOUTHCOM.

Eyeing ‘New and Effective Ways’

The announcement comes after Donovan outlined a concept earlier this year to adopt “cost-effective and modernized forces” equipped with unmanned and human-machine systems to “greatly increase lethality, all-domain awareness, and data sharing for US and partner forces.”

That campaign also seeks to capitalize on additional next-generation assets, including artificial intelligence and commercially available tools.

“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,” Donovan stated.

“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.”