ZAP // DALL-E-2
An ambitious project to create cost-effective, easy-to-deploy robotic combat units is underway, and the US is poised to change the future of warfare.
The Pentagon declared This week saw the first combat drone of its new “Repudiator” initiative, its ambitious plan to build a massive autonomous army. Large swarms of drones War on land, sea and air.
The purpose of the Replicator program was to provide the US military with a Invincible strength And very cheap.
According to experts, these swarms will allow, Control any area And a large number of machines that can dominate, attack or defend to act independently And thanks to artificial intelligence systems.
Program is available A kind of Skynet – Now, under human guidance, says confidential. In a well-known story TerminatorDoomsday comes when machines connected to “Skynet” develop themselves over generations with increasingly superior artificial intelligence until they become self-aware.
This will be the cornerstone of strength Switch blade 600An infamous drone developed and manufactured by Aeroenvironment Great victory against the Russians In Ukraine.
Switchplate 600 is a Kamikaze weapon, also known as Lute ammunition, is fired from a tube to perform reconnaissance and offensive missions. It is equipped with a Multipurpose warship Similar to Javelin’s use in anti-tank guided missiles, this makes it perfect for knocking out armored targets.
The drone can stay in the air About 40 minutesIt reaches a speed of 185 kmph and runs in a circle 40 kilometerss.
Future War
At this stage of the Replicator program, the US Department of Defense (DoD) plans to add several types of unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) and unmanned aerial systems (c-UAS), which will be developed by traditional defense companies and defense startups. .
Funds will be allocated for this year Just 500 million dollarsBut this budget is expected to grow exponentially.
As the first robot war between Ukraine and Russia recently showed, this is the path followed by superpowers like the US and China – but also smaller actors like Iran.
According to the admiral Samuel PaparoCommander of the US Indo-Pacific Command, “This is a basic step Continue to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific to deliver the capabilities we need, at the scale and speed we need.”
The Replicator program was introduced in August 2023 by the Assistant Secretary of Defense, Kathleen HicksIn National Defense Industry Association Conference on Emerging Technologies.
The initiative is designed to counter China in the event of a conflict in Taiwan.Thousands of autonomous bodies small, Smart and cheap“.
For the Pentagon, this strategy is completely new to the country’s current defense architecture, which is based on large vehicles and very expensive and complex weapons.
In the presentation, Hicks made the same point that defense think tanks and the Pentagon are making: Countering drone swarms will be critical. The challenge posed by a possible invasion of Taiwan and from other parts of the Pacific via China. He said they were necessary to counter them.Access/partial denial capabilities” and its global military population.
According to Hicks, it’s not about matching the enemy in numbers of planes, ships or soldiers, but rather Technological innovation.
“These weapons Saves soldiers’ lives“, said the deputy defense secretary, indirectly referring to Russia’s tactics in Ukraine. “Above all, we do not use our people as cannon fodder – as some competitors do.
