The Pentagon revealed its new anti-China military plan on Monday, August 28.
Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks announced this defense effort, saying the new initiative aims to counter the People's Republic of China directly.
Pentagon Unveils New Anti-China Military Plan
Image has been reviewed by the U.S. Military prior to transmission.) An MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) flies by during a training mission at Creech Air Force Base on November 17, 2015 in Indian Springs, Nevada.
According to The New York Times, the latest plan of the US Department of Defense is to purchase thousands of drones, as well as other autonomous defense technologies.
Pentagon said that this new defense initiative will last 18 to 24 months (around two years), saying that the US has been quite slow in embracing autonomous defense technologies.
Hicks coined the new defense plan as the "Replicator Initiative." Via the official US Department of Defense website, she said that the Replicator Initiative will help the US overcome the PRC's biggest military advantage.
The Deputy Secretary of Defense added that the new defense plan will help the US government augment its mobilization and manufacturing capabilities with real comparative advantage.
She added that the United States rarely relies solely on its ability to match adversaries, even when mobilizing its economy and manufacturing base.
"To stay ahead, we're going to create a new state of the art - just as America has before - leveraging attritable, autonomous systems in all domains," said Hicks.
The Pentagon official said these inexpensive autonomous techs, such as drones, are a big deal since they can lessen people in the line of fire.
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US DOD Investing in Drones, Other Autonomous Systems
Image has been reviewed by the U.S. Military prior to transmission.) An MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) is parked in an aircraft shelter at Creech Air Force Base on November 17, 2015 in Indian Springs, Nevada.
These include un-crewed fighter jets and aircraft, as well as self-piloting vessels. Hicks explained that these autonomous innovations are proven to be lower-cost alternatives to manned platforms.
She added that they can be produced closer to the tactical edge. But, Hicks still wants to take the autonomous investment of the US to the next level.
"So now is the time to take all-domain, attritable autonomy to the next level: to produce and deliver capabilities to warfighters at the volume and velocity required to deter aggression, or win if we're forced to fight," the Pentagon deputy secretary said.
US DOD hasn't confirmed the exact autonomous systems the new Replicator Initiative covers.
If you want to learn more about the latest defense program of the US Department of Defense, you can click this link.
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