Ukraine's experience exposes flaws in U.S. drone development

Defense Express reported the information.

In September 2023, the United States launched a large-scale program called Replicator, aimed at saturating the military with unmanned aerial vehicles and counter-drone systems. According to a recent statement by Aditi Kumar, Deputy Director of the Defense Innovation Unit, the first iteration of this project - specifically, the delivery of thousands of "low-cost autonomous platforms" to the military - is set to be completed by July 2025, fully within the previously established two-year timeline.

As part of the initial steps in this project, the U.S. has drawn several conclusions to guide future efforts. 

Defense Express highlighted key lessons:

• Transparency and clear dialogue with industry about future plans and requirements.
• Addressing challenges early, particularly in software development. Kumar highlights that lessons from the war in Ukraine emphasize the need for rapid software updates within just three to four weeks, a pace previously not prioritized by the U.S. defense sector. This lag led to delays and inadequate funding. Now, the U.S. recognizes the need to allocate sufficient resources to this area to ensure timely software upgrades and mitigate the fear of transitioning to new systems.
• Continuous communication with Congress. This involves providing detailed explanations of the need for specific programs to secure timely and adequate funding. 

As part of the Replicator program, the U.S. has secretly tested various drones in Ukraine before deciding to include them in the project. Notably, Defense Express reported that since 2022, the Ukrainian Armed Forces have been covertly using American Ghost-X drones, equipped with artificial intelligence and payload delivery capabilities.