Uncrewed aerial systems, counter-UAS and uncrewed surface vehicles of various sizes and payloads are part of the first tranche of the Replicator program, the Department of Defense announced on Monday.
Launched in August 2023 by Kathleen Hicks, deputy secretary of defense and a 2024 Wash100 awardee, the Replicator initiative intends to field thousands of all-domain attritable autonomous systems, or ADA2 systems, within the next 18 to 24 months.
“I am pleased to announce that the Department will begin investing in scalable production for these critical capabilities,” said Hicks.
This is both “an important step toward strengthening our defense and technology industrial base” and a demonstration of the DOD’s “ability to break down barriers to scaling innovation at speed” for both ADA2 systems and new capabilities and processes, Hicks said.
Included in the first tranche are AeroVironment’s Switchblade-600 loitering munitions, which will deliver additional capability to U.S. troops and certain classified capabilities in the maritime domain and counter-UAS area.
In late January, the DOD launched the Production-Ready, Inexpensive, Maritime Expeditionary or PRIME Commercial Solutions Opening to diversify its USV vendor base. The department received over 100 applications from commercial companies through the PRIME CSO and is on schedule to award contracts this summer using fiscal year 2024 funding.
The DOD received approximately $500 million in FY 2024 funding for the initiative and sought an equal amount in funding for FY 2025.