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”.

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.