Pentagon Selects Unmanned Systems For Next Stage Of Replicator Program

This week, Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks announced additional capabilities selected for accelerated fielding as part of the Replicator initiative. This second tranche, or Replicator 1.2, will include systems in the air and maritime domains, as well as integrated software enablers that will enhance the autonomy and resilience of other Replicator systems.

These capabilities add to the first tranche of selected systems announced earlier in 2024 and further contribute to the Department's goal of fielding multiple thousands of all-domain, attritable autonomous (ADA2) systems to warfighters by August of 2025 — or within 24 months of Deputy Secretary Hicks launching the initiative.

"The Replicator initiative is demonstrably reducing barriers to innovation, and delivering capabilities to warfighters at a rapid pace," said Hicks. "We are creating opportunities for a broad range of traditional and nontraditional defense and technology companies, including system vendors, component manufacturers, and software developers, to deliver critical capabilities that our warfighters need, and we are building the capability to do that again and again."

Collectively across both tranches, more than 500 commercial firms were considered for Replicator hardware and software contracting and major subcontracting opportunities. Contracts have been awarded to more than 30 hardware and software companies, of which 75 percent are non-traditional defense contractors, in addition to more than 50 subcontractors.

Included in Replicator-1, Tranche 2 (1.2) is the Army's Company-Level Small UAS effort, which has selected the Anduril Industries Ghost-X and the Performance Drone Works C-100 UAS. These systems will enable Army maneuver companies to conduct multiple tasks with rapidly reconfigurable, attritable, modular payload capabilities to execute reconnaissance, surveillance, and target acquisition missions.

"Ukraine has demonstrated the value of small, attritable drones on the battlefield," said Gen. Randy A. George, the Chief of Staff of the Army. "The delivery of commercially available Company Level Small UAS with support from the Replicator initiative will allow American soldiers to rapidly experiment, learn and innovate with these systems. The advancement of battlefield technology requires us to innovate faster than ever before."

The Department is also scaling loitering munitions through fielding and expanded experimentation of the Anduril Industries Altius-600 as part of the U.S. Marine Corps Organic Precision Fires program. This system complements the Switchblade-600 loitering munition produced by AeroVironment Inc. that was included in the first tranche of Replicator.