DoD Directive 3000.09 (autonomy in weapon systems)

What it is

DoD Directive 3000.09, Autonomy in Weapon Systems, is effective 25 January 2023. It reissues and cancels the 21 November 2012 directive of the same title. The public copy is cleared for public release on the Directives Division Website. The same PDF is posted at media.defense.gov.

The directive establishes policy and assigns responsibilities for developing and using autonomous and semi-autonomous functions in weapon systems, establishes guidelines designed to minimize the probability and consequences of failures … that could lead to unintended engagements, and establishes the Autonomous Weapon Systems Working Group.

What it applies to — and what it does not

Applicability covers the design, development, acquisition, testing, fielding, and employment of autonomous and semi-autonomous weapon systems, including guided munitions that are capable of automated target selection.

The directive does not apply to autonomous or semi-autonomous cyberspace capabilities, unarmed platforms, unguided munitions, munitions manually guided by the operator, mines, unexploded explosive ordnance, or autonomous or semi-autonomous systems that are not weapon systems.

A contractor AI tool that handles CUI, a logistics model, or a back-office classifier is not brought under 3000.09 by that text. Deputy Secretary Hicks said the Department is embedding A.I. in many aspects of our mission, from battle space awareness, cyber and reconnaissance, to logistics, force support, and other back office functions, and separately that our policy for autonomy in weapons systems is clear. Those are two statements.

Human judgment, T&E, and fail-safe

The first policy sentence: Autonomous and semi-autonomous weapon systems will be designed to allow commanders and operators to exercise appropriate levels of human judgment over the use of force.

The same policy paragraph requires rigorous hardware and software verification and validation (V&V) and realistic system developmental and operational test and evaluation (T&E). If systems cannot complete engagements within a timeframe and geographic area … consistent with commander and operator intentions, they will terminate the engagement or obtain additional operator input.

Human-machine interfaces will be readily understandable to trained operators, provide transparent feedback on system status, and provide clear procedures for trained operators to activate and deactivate system functions. Hicks’s public formulation is There is always a human responsible for the use of force, full stop.

How it sits next to RAI and CMMC

The five DoD AI ethical principles and the RAI Strategy apply more broadly than weapon-system autonomy. CMMC is about CUI on contractor systems, not 3000.09 reviews. The longer walkthrough is Autonomy and DoD Directive 3000.09 explained. The vendor checklist is DoD 3000.09 compliance checklist for autonomy vendors.

What it is not

3000.09 is not a product certificate, not a software-assurance standard, and not a clause that every DoD AI system must meet. Completing the CDAO toolkit is not a 3000.09 senior review.