Pentagon Expands Replicator Drone Fleet with New Acquisitions

Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks announced the second tranche of the Replicator initiative, focusing on scalable production of autonomous systems across air and maritime domains, along with integrated software enablers. The initiative aims to field thousands of autonomous systems by August 2025, involving over 500 commercial firms, with 75% being non-traditional defense contractors. Key projects include the Army's Company-Level Small UAS and the Marine Corps' loitering munitions, enhancing battlefield technology and experimentation. The initiative also includes classified systems and leverages commercial solutions for rapid development.