Replicator Updates from AUVSI: July 12, 2024

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

New DOD Opportunities

DIU recently released two requests for solution brief submissions:

• Opportunistic, Resilient & Innovative Expeditionary Network Topology — Responses due July 19th
• Autonomous Collaborative Teaming (ACT) — Responses due July 19th

Replicator In the News

Hicks urges NATO to grow industrial capacity, adopt Replicator-like systems Defense Scoop

• What’s new: Speaking at the NATO Summit Defense Industry Forum, Hicks said that NATO must strategically grow its collective defense industrial capacity and rapidly adopt interoperable drones and other emerging capabilities like those the U.S. is presently hustling to field and scale.
• Our thought bubble: By supporting initiatives that would generate demand for more autonomous and uncrewed systems, like Replicator, we can spark private capital investment into U.S. and allied manufacturing and begin the process of scaling production.

In Ukraine, We Saw a Glimpse of the Future of War — Raj S. and Christopher Kirchhoff , The Atlantic

• What they’re saying: “The ultimate goal, however, is not to win wars but to deter them. America’s technological genius is one of the best tools it has for keeping the peace. Ukraine shows how our military has failed to take full advantage of that genius—and how far ahead of our competitors we could be if we do.”
• Commercial technology has transformed virtually every domain of the war. Skydio , the first private U.S. drone maker to be valued at $1 billion, rushed autonomous quadcopters with high-resolution cameras to Ukrainian infantry units. Anduril Industries deployed its Ghost drone, a near-silent autonomous helicopter that could be set up in minutes.

Opinion: The Replicator Drone Initiative and the Department of Defense WSJ Editorial

• What they’re saying: “Replicator’s goals of drone deployment and business development process change are both worthy objectives. But given the Pentagon's antiquated culture, is two years enough time to procure more hard power faster?”
• Zoom out: Shortly after Replicator was announced last year, a House Armed Services Subcommittee held a hearing titled, “Can it work? Outside Perspectives on DOD’s Replicator Program.” AUVSI submitted comments for the record stating, “Can Replicator work? Yes – and in fact, it must succeed. The success of the United States’ policy of strategic deterrence and our agility, and success, on the battlefield is predicated on the rebuilding of our industrial manufacturing capacity. Replicator can galvanize progress in U.S. military innovation and technological integration.”

DOD’s Demand Signal to Industry

The age of drone warfare is disrupting the defence industry The Financial Times

• Last August, the Pentagon set up the Replicator initiative. Within just five months, the Pentagon had achieved what “normally takes the Department of Defense two to three years”, according to Kathleen Hicks, the deputy secretary of defence in charge of the initiative.
• Among the upstarts are AeroVironment , a small US defence contractor that gained prominence after its Switchblade “kamikaze” drone became an early symbol of Ukraine’s resistance. Church Hutton says the company is seeing “interest on the part of the government seeking to accelerate their procurements in some ways to match the speed of industrial innovation”.
• Anduril Industries is one of the biggest beneficiaries from rising demand from militaries for new technology. Hundreds of its Altius-600M attack drones have been bought by the Pentagon and sent to Ukraine’s front line. Along with General Atomics , it was selected by the US Air Force to build and test drone prototypes for the next phase of the service’s CAA program, which seeks to build a fleet of UAVs.

Spotlight on Switchblade 600 capabilities: See AUVSI’s exclusive data here on the Switchblade 600 platform properties and status. The Uncrewed Systems & Robotics Database (USRD) is our tracker on nearly every uncrewed vehicle and mobile robot system operating in the air, ground, and maritime domains. Learn more.

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.