The low-cost, unmanned Replicator initiative is intended to counter the Chinese threat.
Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks announced a new Pentagon initiative to build thousands of autonomous weapons over the next two years. At the NDIA Emerging Technologies for Defense Conference, the deputy secretary said China has a military advantage over the U.S. that needs to be rectified “with more ships, more missiles, more people.”
Deputy Secretary Hicks stated, “America still benefits from platforms that are large, exquisite, expensive, and few. But Replicator will galvanize progress in the too-slow shift of U.S. military innovation to leverage platforms that are small, smart, cheap, and many.”
She continued, “Now is the time to take all-domain, attritable autonomy to the next level: to produce and deliver capabilities to warfighters at the volume and velocity required to deter aggression, or win if we’re forced to fight.”
The initiative, led by Deputy Secretary Hicks and Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Christopher Grady, will create both uncrewed aircraft and underwater drones.
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For Deputy Secretary Hicks and General Grady as they oversee the creation and development of the autonomous weapon systems.
- For wisdom for Secretary Lloyd Austin as he heads efforts by the Defense Department to counter China.
- For the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the Pentagon as they advise the president and his administration officials.
Sources: Washington Examiner, Inside Defense, Politico
