Replicator Updates from AUVSI: Dec 15, 2023

Welcome to AUVSI’s new biweekly newsletter to keep the uncrewed and autonomous systems industries updated on DOD’s Replicator initiative.

AUVSI’s Replicator Engagement

AUVSI Hosts Ideation Workshop

• What we’re up to: This week, AUVSI, NORAD, USNORTHCOM, and USINDOPACOM co-hosted a SECRET level Innovation/Ideation Workshop at Commander Third Fleet HQ in San Diego, CA. Attendees heard briefs from DOD on topics including Replicator.
• Why it matters: The event convened approximately 140 participants from 65 industry companies of all sizes and over 25 distinct DoD organizations to develop capability demonstration vignettes using commercial off-the-shelf, attritable, autonomous systems to address muti-domain warfighter threats and gaps.
• What’s next: The outcome of the workshop will support capability demonstrations that will be conducted during XPONENTIAL 2024, which will be attended by Replicator leads.

China’s Grip on the Drone Industry Threatens US National Security, Jobs Opinion by AUVSI Chief Advocacy Officer Michael Robbins in The Messenger

• Replicator is a positive step, signaling future demand from DOD. Its success, however, will depend on substantial investments in advanced manufacturing capacity and supply chains within the United States.
• The industry yearns for more information on how the Replicator initiative will come to fruition; key announcements are expected soon. Transparency on the part of the U.S. government is imperative.

Replicator News We’re Reading

Readout of Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks' Visit to Silicon Valley, California DOD press release

• This week, Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks met with nine companies to discuss Replicator, offering an opportunity to engage directly on their experiences working with DoD.
• “It’s clear that the character of warfare is changing,” said Hicks. “Replicator is part of how at DoD we’re putting our thumb on the scale to make sure America, not our strategic competitors and adversaries, are the ones who see, drive, and master the future character of warfare.”

Silicon Valley Ties Are Key to Beating China, Pentagon’s No. 2 Says in California Visit Bloomberg BRINC Drones Skydio

• Hicks acknowledged that the department’s two-year appropriations cycle is challenging for startups, which move on shorter fundraising timelines. It’s among impediments Hicks will have to address as she and her Pentagon colleagues push their new “Replicator” initiative.
• Hicks’ visit is part of a multiyear Pentagon push to make tech-sector innovations available to the US military. It’s an effort that officials say is crucial to the US’s ability to compete with China.

Amid Ukraine and Israel conflicts, Pentagon acquisition chief sees counter-drone ‘crisis’ Breaking Defense

• LaPlante’s remarks also carried implications for the US military, which he said “will need it [unmanned and counter-unmanned capabilities] all across the board” as it seeks to deter China through drone production initiatives like Replicator.

Replicator offers use case for defense budget reform, panel says C4ISRNet

• Members of a select commission exploring options for improving the PPBE process said Replicator would benefit from many of the recommendations the panel is considering.

Pentagon approves first Rapid Defense Experimentation Reserve projects C4ISRNet

• Shyu said RDER’s experimentation and validation process could be used to demonstrate Replicator candidates when there’s overlap between the capabilities both efforts are pursuing. While the first slate of RDER projects don’t have any Replicator cross-over, she said that could happen in the future.

Pentagon’s commercial tech arm to ramp up role in military innovation Defense News

• DIU will play a central role in Replicator. The initiative is the first test of the Deputy’s Innovation Steering Group’s innovation process.
• Rep. Ken Calvert chairs the House Appropriations Committee’s defense panel and championed the hedge portfolio legislation. He said funding is key to DIU’s ability to execute on programs such as Replicator.

Pentagon alarmed by Chinese rush for 'intelligentized' warfare, but experts warn about over-reliance on AI Fox News

• “The ability to employ AI-related technologies at scale is critical," said James Anderson, who served as the deputy undersecretary of defense during the Trump administration. "Last summer, the Pentagon announced its Replicator Initiative to produce and deploy thousands of AI-guided drones in the Indo-Pacific. It is an open question whether the Pentagon can follow through given the shrunken and dilapidated state of America’s Defense Industrial Base."

How the U.S. Is Racing to Build a Drone Fleet to Compete With China WSJ

• The U.S. sees cheap unmanned systems as a way to gain a technological edge, similar to how it leveraged satellite and GPS communications before other adversaries did in the past.
• But getting all these systems deployed quickly won’t be easy… The supply chain for many of these systems is complex.

Industry News We’re Tracking

Visits by DoD’s Top Leaders Underscore Skydio’s Commitment to Delivering Small Autonomous Systems to America’s Armed Forces press release

• “We fully support the Replicator vision as described by Dr. Hicks and we are excited to continue building on our partnership with DoD. As a dual-use company manufacturing at scale to meet the needs of our commercial and defense customers, we are uniquely prepared to answer Replicator's call. To this end, we have recently expanded our manufacturing capacity by a factor of 10, enabling us to significantly increase the amount of drones that we can produce per month.” Skydio William Mark Valentine

Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks Visits Kodiak press release

• "We were incredibly proud to host Deputy Secretary Hicks at Kodiak and demonstrate our unique approach to autonomous driving," said Don Burnette , Founder and CEO, Kodiak . "The Deputy Secretary's visit reinforces the criticality of Silicon Valley innovators as the Department of Defense ramps up its focus on autonomous technology and pursues partnerships with non-traditional defense contractors to advance its national security objectives."

DZYNE Technologies Announces New Manufacturing Facility in California press release

• "With the recently announced Replicator Initiative, we feel we are now perfectly suited to meet the Department's increased demand for autonomous defense capabilities,” said DZYNE Technologies President and Co-Founder Matt McCue.

AUVSI's Defense Advocacy Committee advances policies and funding for uncrewed and autonomous systems in the Department of Defense, ensuring the U.S. remains at the forefront of autonomous defense technologies. Learn more or contact Michael Smitsky, Esq.