The U.S. Army is set to lead in the first round of Replicator projects, with Douglas Bush, assistant secretary of the Army for acquisition, logistics, and technology, revealing the selection of a system proposed by the service for the initiative to deploy thousands of drones and autonomous systems over two years in Washington.
Bush indicated that the Army’s proposal would generate the highest quantity of projects in the initial round, although specific details were not disclosed, the DefenseScoop mentioned AeroVironment’s Switchblade 600 as a potential system for the effort.
The Pentagon has requested $1 billion from Congress to execute the Replicator program in fiscal years 2024 and 2025, aiming to accelerate existing programs and propose new ones from military services. The broader goal of Replicator is to establish a repeatable process to deliver various capabilities to military users, beyond just autonomy.
The Reagan Institute praised the Pentagon’s pursuit of Replicator, urging full funding for the effort. There are concerns about the ability to translate U.S. innovation into national security capabilities. Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks’ commitment to Replicator is seen as a positive step towards changing the Pentagon’s culture and taking more risks, endorsed by former House Armed Services Committee chairman Mac Thornberry.
