The US Department of Defense (DoD) officially determined the course of development for the next phase of its Replicator initiative, with Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin stating in a memo on 27 September that Replicator 2 will be a counter small uncrewed aerial system (C-sUAS) for the defence of critical military installations.
Replicator 2’s focus on counter-drone technologies complements existing efforts by the DoD to enhance force protection and operational capabilities within 24 months of congressional funding approval.
The initiative builds on lessons from Replicator 1, which focused on deploying large numbers of attritable, affordable, autonomous systems that can be used aggressively without the financial consequences of losing high-value assets. The Defense Secretary described Replicator 1 as ready to field its first systems in Summer of 2025, adding that the the programme has laid the groundwork for scaling autonomous systems across the force.
As part of this broader strategy, the DoD chose AeroVironment’s Switchblade 600 system for the first phase of Replicator’s deployment in May, 2024. The Switchblade 600, a portable long-range munition designed to destroy fortified targets from extended distances, was already in full-rate production, with a proven combat record.
Replicator’s first tranche will see the delivery of thousands of autonomous systems, including uncrewed surface vehicles (USV), counter-uncrewed aerial systems (C-UAS), and additional uncrewed aerial systems (UAS), sourced from a diverse range of defence vendors. The aim is to have these systems fielded within 18 to 24 months, a timeline critical to addressing the rapid military advancements of other global powers.
Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks recently confirmed in May that the first tranche of Replicator had been successfully executed, and that the DoD had allocated approximately $500m in funding for fiscal year 2024, of which $300m comes from the defence appropriations bill.
In addition to land-based operations, the maritime sector will also benefit from the Replicator initiative. The DoD is expanding its supplier base for uncrewed surface vehicles through the recently launched Production-Ready, Inexpensive, Maritime Expeditionary Commercial Solutions Opening. This program has already attracted over 100 technology companies and is expected to award contracts later this summer.
