The Pentagon has unveiled a new series of aerial and maritime drones as part of the Replicator program, a large-scale project aimed at accelerating the delivery of unmanned weapons systems to the US military.
Here's what we know
The program includes several models, including the Ghost-X from Anduril Industries and the C-100 from Performance Drone Works, which were chosen for the UAS drone program.
According to the Pentagon, these drones are intended to be a versatile weapon for combat units, effective for both surveillance and targeting.
The Replicator program will also include Anduril's Altius-600 attack drone, already in use by the Marine Corps, and the ETV experimental drone. The latter was the subject of particular attention due to its range of 500 nautical miles, which meets the requirements of the program.
This announcement is the second and most detailed of the systems the Pentagon is purchasing for Replicator.
Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks announced the launch of the program last year, pledging to produce thousands of low-cost drones by August 2025 to bolster defense capabilities under a potential conflict with China.
Of course, some systems remain confidential: until recently, the Pentagon only officially recognized one drone in the program, AeroVironment's Switchblade 600.
Replicator aims to deliver systems quickly, bypassing Pentagon bureaucratic hurdles that often delay purchases. The program also involves cooperation with 500 companies, of which 30 have signed main contracts and another 50 are subcontractors.
In the next phase, Replicator will focus on developing systems to counter cheap drones used by pro-Iran groups in the Middle East. This should allow the US armed forces to avoid using expensive interceptors to shoot down relatively cheap drones.
Source: Defence News
