U.S. Army JAG Corps’ Post

AeroVironment’s (AV) Switchblade 600 loitering munition system has been selected for Tranche 1 of the first iteration of the U.S. Department of Defense’s (DoD) Replicator initiative. AV’s Switchblade 600 is a man-portable, extended-range loitering munition system equipped with an anti-armor warhead for engaging larger, hardened targets at greater distances. The first iteration of the Replicator initiative aims to accelerate all-domain, attritable autonomous systems to warfighters at speed and scale. The first iteration of the Replicator initiative will field thousands of autonomous systems across multiple domains within the next 18-24 months, as part of the Pentagon’s strategy to counter peer adversaries’ rapid military buildup. #military #defense #defence #militaryleak https://lnkd.in/gKgrHEAg

The conclusion of this thoughtful essay on whether autonomous Autonomous Military Systems (AMS) are likely to benefit the insurgent or dominant force by Harrison Durland : Historical technologies such as IEDs and AK-47s do support the “cheaper capabilities will benefit poorer actors” argument, and my prior research suggested that machine guns likely benefited insurgents more than counterinsurgents; a research project that calculates frequencies for asymmetric impacts of military technology might be quite informative. However, the factors in the sections above could largely negate or even reverse the impacts of AMS, such as if poorer/irregular forces are unable to reliably field AMS or countermeasures or if AMS allow casualty-averse counterinsurgents to put significantly fewer troops at risk while supporting governmental function, delivering aid, interdicting smuggling, or neutralizing enemy combatants/equipment. Ultimately, arguments about insurmountable technical barriers or countermeasures could show that AMS will not have a significant effect for either side, but appeals to individual examples of past technologies or dramatic narratives of AMS’ potential usefulness for one side are a flimsy basis for concluding that the technology will have an asymmetric benefit.

Given the many surprises in AI’s progress in the past decade (alongside some cases of overoptimism), analysts should more clearly acknowledge and address the critical points of technological uncertainty/dispute before concluding that autonomous military systems (AMS) will favor weaker or wealthier military actors. Check out our latest article by Harrison Durland⤵ https://lnkd.in/e_n-ucu6

The US Army would gain a drone branch under proposed language in the 2025 defense authorization bill, a move intended to further professionalize the field and put it on par with the service’s other disciplines.  Currently, the Army fields 22 branches, from air defense artillery to transportation. The branches are the building blocks of the Army, with each job, or military occupational specialty, organized under a branch. #army #humanresources #drones

House Appropriators Focus on R&D in Defense Spending Bill The House Appropriations Committee's $833 billion fiscal 2025 defense spending bill prioritizes research and development, reflecting a $2.8 billion increase to $146 billion, while procurement faces a $1.4 billion cut, totaling roughly $165 billion. Key Highlights: - Army: Significant cuts to the Long Range Hypersonic Weapon and PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement. - Navy: Reductions in Trident II and AIM-120 AMRAAM programs. - Air Force: Reductions in Joint Air Surface Standoff Missile and AMRAAM, but increases for F-35As and Combat Rescue Helicopters. - Personnel: Increase of $1.8 billion to $183.7 billion. - R&D Boosts: Additional funding for Future Vertical Lift and Next Generation Combat Vehicle technologies. Lawmakers also emphasize the need for robust investment in the submarine industrial base and have expressed skepticism about certain Air Force modernization plans. For more details, read the full report https://lnkd.in/eXJexNCh #DefenseSpending #ResearchAndDevelopment #MilitaryInnovation #DefenseBudget #GalliumSolutions

Launched Effects are emerging as a multi-domain enabler. Synergy between the Combat Aviation Brigade, Division Cavalry, maneuver brigades, fires, and intelligence using launched effects to extend sensing, reaction time, and maneuver space will be an awesome force multiplier!

It takes significant amount of situational awareness and multi tasking to fly and engage hostiles in an aircraft - with AI augmentation many routine but critical tasks are taken off the pilot’s shoulders allowing the pilot to focus on the important ones. Kudos to the defence scientists and engineers on this great achievement! AI will continue to play an evolving role as a force multiplier for all three current services of the armed forces while enabling new domains such as space and deep sea to be pacified and brought into compliance. Ensuring AI weapon dominance not only in terms of software, and especially so more in hardware as well as related supply chains and resource nodes is already extremely critical to national security and will continue to become even more critical in the coming decades for the maintaining of regional and global peace. #ai #war #peace

A well reasoned argument and worthy of note. Automation is not necessarily the panacea of efficiences.

Air Defense is the future of warfare. The ability to deter and destroy threats from our adversaries is critical to the success of the mission. First to fire!

Join us on this episode of 'Disrupting Defense' as I explore the future of autonomous warfare and its transformative impact on modern military operations. We'll dive into the groundbreaking work of Applied Intuition Defense and their advancements in ground, maritime, and aerospace autonomy. We’ll discuss how AI and machine learning are revolutionizing military strategies with technologies like the Robotic Combat Vehicle (RCV) and XM30 Mechanized Infantry Combat Vehicle (MICV). We'll also tackle the ethical and operational challenges of deploying autonomous systems in combat, from cybersecurity risks to the moral implications of AI-driven decisions. Don't miss this in-depth discussion on how autonomous technology is shaping the future of defense. Tune in now on Spotify and join the conversation about the cutting-edge innovations in military technology. https://lnkd.in/eJq2ibbF