Though being "cagey" about details, Deputy Secretary of Defense Kath Hicks said the new Replicator program is meant to get "multiple thousands" of autonomous systems in the hands of servicemembers with two years.
AFRL is "projecting first flight in first half of FY24 [fiscal 2024]," Trenton White, OBSS program manager, told Breaking Defense.
Knowing when to build on commercial systems and when to develop something new can be the difference between parity and information dominance.
The Air Force Research Laboratory and Kratos are developing the Off-Board Sensing System to deploy less expensive UAS in large numbers.
Authorizers want CAPE to assess costs and risks of the "aggressive and uncertain plan" Digital Century Series approach to acquire NGAD aircraft.
The study cautions that no matter how smart, drones only "are complementary, force-multiplying capabilities, not replacements for 5th generation stealth aircraft" such as F-35 and F-22 fighter jets, and B-21 bombers.
A single F-35 could have a flock of "loyal wingman" drones to carry weapons, jam radars, and if need be take a hit and die to save their human commander.
Why edge and endpoint security can’t be an afterthought.