Hegseth calls US$1.5 trillion defence budget ‘critical’ to counter China
Por Seong Hyeon Choi — South China Morning Post – News feed
Advertisement US-China relations US Politics Hegseth calls US$1.5 trillion defence budget ‘critical’ to counter China
Pentagon chief warns US risks falling behind China in drones, robotics and AI without major investment in military capabilities
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Seong Hyeon Choi in Washington Published: 5:45am, 15 Oct 2026 Updated: 5:53am, 15 Oct 2026
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has called a nearly US$1.5 trillion defence budget request “absolutely critical”, warning that whoever falls behind in autonomy, robotics and AI will fall “even further behind” as Washington eyes China’s rapid military modernisation.
Speaking at a panel discussion during the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) Annual Meeting and Exposition on Wednesday, Hegseth said that Project Agincourt, the Pentagon’s initiative to accelerate drone and autonomous warfare capabilities, is the “end state” of what the administration has focused on since “day one”.
Under the current US Department of Defence plan, announced by Hegseth on September 30 during his State of the Force address at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Project Agincourt includes the creation of a four-star Autonomous Warfare Command by October 1, 2027, building on the Replicator initiative from the Joe Biden administration and the Drone Dominance Programme initiated in 2025.
Asked how significant the increase to nearly US$1.5 trillion in the defence budget is, Hegseth replied that it is “absolutely critical” and a “one-time generational investment” that gives Washington a chance to “fully rebuild” the military amid threats from adversaries.
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