In a September 27 memo, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin announced a second “Replicator” initiative aimed at rapidly developing and fielding counter-drone technologies. The move comes just over a year after the launch of the original Replicator program, which sought to deploy thousands of attritable autonomous systems across multiple domains within 24 months (according to Austin’s memo, Replicator 1 is on track).
While Replicator 1 focused on offensive capabilities, Replicator 2’s focus points to the DOD’s growing concern about the difficulty of defending against the small, cheap drones that have proven particularly effective in recent conflicts, including in Ukraine and the Middle East. In January, an Iranian-made drone killed three U.S. service members and injured dozens more in an attack on a base in Jordan. According to the Washington Post, a U.S. military assessment indicated that the low-flying drone had likely gone undetected, underscoring the need for more robust Counter-Small Unmanned Aerial Systems (C-sUAS) capabilities.
Austin’s memo directs the Deputy Secretary of Defense and Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to develop a Replicator 2 plan for inclusion in the FY2026 budget request, with the expectation to deliver “meaningfully improved” C-sUAS protection for critical assets within 24 months of congressional funding approval.
This newsletter excerpt is from the October 17, 2024, edition of policy.ai — CSET’s newsletter on artificial intelligence, emerging technology, and security policy, written by Alex Friedland. Other stories from this edition include:
- Governor Newsom Vetoes Sweeping AI Regulation, SB 1047
- OpenAI Raises $6.6 Billion — But Departures Point to Difficult Transition
- Tech Giants Tap Nuclear Power for Their AI Data Centers
- Commerce Considering Country-Specific Chip Export Caps
- FTC Cracks Down on AI Over-Promising
- OMB Issues Guidance on Responsible AI Acquisition
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