China wins the battle US failure to deploy smart weapons.

 

intelligence-enabled weapons

China wins the battle...US failure to deploy smart weapons.

The Pentagon's Replicator program, launched in 2023 with the goal of deploying thousands of drones and autonomous systems to counter China, has faltered as it has encountered technical and bureaucratic problems in manufacturing, operations, and platform integration.

Due to these challenges, the program was transferred to Special Operations Command through a new unit called DAWG in an effort to expedite its implementation, amid time pressures associated with preparing for a potential conflict in the Pacific in the coming years, according to informed sources.
The move reflects frustration over setbacks faced by the program, a landmark project under former President Joe Biden's administration at the Pentagon that aimed to deliver thousands of AI-powered air, land, and sea systems by August 2025.

"Small, smart, and cheap technology"

Then-Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks announced the program in 2023, pledging that the technology would be "small, smart, and cheap," according to a report in the Wall Street Journal.
Although Hicks requested $1 billion over two years for the program, some lawmakers have called for funding to be increased to billions, arguing that the amount required is much higher to ensure success.
But some of the systems in the Replicator framework proved to be unreliable, or too expensive and slow to manufacture to be purchased in the necessary quantities.

The Pentagon also faced difficulty developing software capable of controlling a large number of drones, manufactured by different companies, to work in a coordinated manner to search for and potentially strike potential targets, a key element for the success of the program's vision.

The Pentagon has moved Replicator work to a new division under Special Operations Command known as the Defensive Autonomous Warfare Group (DAWG), hoping to accelerate the program and focus on the most appropriate weapons.
Participants in the program offered various explanations for the delay, but considered the efforts to be generally successful.

The program is between critics and defenders

While some blamed the military for insisting on purchasing systems that were not field-ready, others saw the obstacles as natural in any ambitious attempt to accelerate the introduction of technology.
In an email, Hicks said the program was "on track" when she left the Pentagon last January and had already helped accelerate the procurement of autonomous systems.

The primary goal of the Repellicator is to prepare for a potential conflict with China in the Pacific.
Beijing has bolstered its arsenal of ships, aircraft, and advanced weapons in recent years, and US officials believe it may be ready to seize Taiwan by 2027.
Any conflict over the island will present technical and logistical challenges, requiring drones and ships to operate autonomously over long distances even if radio or GPS communications are disrupted.

The importance of drones

The US Department of Defense says drones will expand the battlefield, confuse the enemy, overwhelm its defenses, and strike targets without significant human losses or expensive equipment.
However, DAWG still has less than two years to deliver the drones the Pentagon needs, a timeline that reflects the urgency of preparing for a potential war in the Pacific.

Replicator's advocates say it has achieved significant milestones in two years, most notably accelerating the procurement and testing of new systems, advancing autonomous technology, and shortening the traditional arms procurement cycle by years.