Updated March 13, 2024
DOD Replicator Initiative: Background and Issues for Congress

Some observers have stated that, depending on the
Introduction
capabilities of Replicator systems, the Replicator initiative
Replicator, unveiled on August 28, 2023, is a Department
could lead to the development of new military concepts of
of Defense (DOD) initiative, led by DOD’s Defense
operation, such as swarming. Swarming is a form of
Innovation Unit (DIU), to field thousands of all-domain,
cooperative behavior in a group of uncrewed systems, in
attritable autonomous (ADA2) systems by August 2025.
which the uncrewed systems autonomously coordinate with
(Attritable systems are comparatively low-cost systems
one another to accomplish a mission. Swarming would
with which DOD tolerates a greater degree of risk of system
likely require further advancements in artificial intelligence
loss.) A key issue facing Congress is whether to approve,
and/or networked communications to be deployed.
reject, or modify DOD’s funding requests for Replicator,
and whether Congress has adequate information about
DOD officials state that, in contrast to large and
Replicator to assess its merits and conduct effective
individually expensive systems such as aircraft carriers,
oversight of the initiative.
Replicator systems are intended to be built and deployed
more quickly, and to be used for significantly shorter
Background
periods of time before being replaced by successor designs.
DOD officials state that the Replicator initiative draws from
These officials state that Replicator is thus intended to
lessons learned in the ongoing Ukraine-Russia conflict, in
improve DOD’s processes for rapidly scaling, fielding, and
which Ukraine has leveraged large numbers (estimated by
innovating new capabilities. They note that Replicator is
observers to be as many as 10,000 per month) of low-cost
also intended to accelerate the development of the U.S.
attritable systems to counter the Russian military’s
drone industrial base.
advantage in force strength. Deputy Secretary of Defense
Kathleen Hicks—who, with the Vice Chairman of the Joint
Specific Replicator Capabilities and Systems
Chiefs of Staff, oversees Replicator—has stated that
To date, DOD has declined to publicly identify specific
Replicator is intended to “help [the United States]
Replicator capabilities or systems due to what DOD states
overcome [the Chinese military’s] advantage in mass: more
are operational security concerns. Deputy Secretary Hicks
ships, more missiles, more forces.”
has stated that DOD intends to reveal details about the
Replicator initiative, including information about specific
DOD officials describe Replicator as an all-domain
capabilities and systems, “at a time and place and manner
initiative that could include autonomous aerial, ground,
of our choosing.”
surface, sub-surface, and/or space systems representing a
range of capabilities and mission sets. For example, Deputy
Status
Secretary Hicks stated that Replicator could include
DOD officials stated in January 2024 that they had selected
“distributed pods of self-propelled ADA2 [sensor] systems”
a first tranche of Replicator systems from among competing
to provide near-real time intelligence, “fleets of ground-
proposals and, as of February, were reportedly finalizing
based ADA2 systems delivering novel logistics support …
proposals for a second tranche. These two tranches, one
or securing DOD infrastructure,” or space-based ADA2
official stated, are likely to focus on software to enable
systems to provide resilient communications.
system collaboration “to create lethal effects and respond to
a very dynamic environment against different threats and …
Intent
different adversary platforms.”
Replicator is to deploy ADA2 systems en masse, allowing
the U.S. military to disperse combat power over a large
As the lead for the Replicator initiative, DIU hosted a
number of relatively inexpensive systems. Replicator is
technology summit in February 2024 “to provide industry
intended to
with more detail about broad Replicator opportunities, and
•
include workshops on how dual-use technology solutions
avoid concentrating U.S. combat power into a smaller
can be repurposed toward supporting warfighting needs.”
number of individually more expensive platforms (i.e.,
help avoid putting too many eggs into one basket);
Issues for Congress
• make it harder for an adversary to target and neutralize
Potential issues for Congress regarding the Replicator
U.S. capabilities; and
initiative include but are not necessarily limited to the
•
following.
create an unfavorable cost-exchange ratio for the
adversary, meaning a situation in which the adversary
Adequacy of Information Available to Congress
would need to use a countermeasure, such as an
One key issue is whether Congress has adequate
interceptor missile, that has a much higher cost than the
information about Replicator to assess its merits and
Replicator system against which it is directed.
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DOD Replicator Initiative: Background and Issues for Congress
conduct effective oversight of the initiative. Some Members
Technical, Schedule, and Cost Risk
of Congress have stated that it has been difficult for them to
Another issue concerns technical, schedule, and cost risk in
obtain information about Replicator, and have asked DOD
the Replicator initiative. Military analyst Bill Greenwalt
to brief them with further details about Replicator
testified before a House Armed Services Committee
capabilities, systems, and concepts of operation. DOD
hearing on October 19, 2023, that “the Pentagon’s
reportedly has promised to provide such briefings.
acquisition system is simply not capable of acting on the
proposed timelines contemplated in the Replicator program,
Lack of information on Replicator, either in the classified or
except in very limited circumstances … and then only when
unclassified realms, has the potential to raise doubts about
conducted outside the normal rules of acquisition
whether DOD has adequately analyzed the initiative in
budgeting.”
terms of capabilities and costs. Congress has the option, as
part of its action on annual DOD budget requests, to
Skeptics might argue that DOD historically has often
legislate reporting requirements for the Replicator initiative
struggled to overcome the so-called “valley of death”
or direct the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to
between the development of a system prototype and the
review and evaluate DOD’s Replicator activities.
deployment of that system in the field. Although DOD
states that it is currently refining its acquisition strategy for
Cost and Sources of Funding
Replicator, some potential industry partners have expressed
Another issue is how much the Replicator initiative might
concerns about DOD’s approach, calling it “very
cost, and how DOD intends to finance that cost. In a
disorganized and confusing.”
September 6, 2023, speech, Deputy Secretary Hicks stated
that “Replicator is not a new program of record … and
Ethical Principles and International Commitments
[DOD] will not be asking for new money in FY[20]24.”
Another issue is whether Replicator efforts would be
DOD submitted a classified FY2023 reprogramming
executed in a manner consistent with DOD’s ethical
request to Congress in January 2024, suggesting that DOD
principles and international commitments, which are
intends to fund FY2024 Replicator activities by reducing
outlined in DOD documents such as Responsible Artificial
funding for other DOD programs. DOD requested $500
Intelligence Strategy and Implementation Pathway;
million for Replicator in FY2025 and is to submit an
Political Declaration on Responsible Military Use of
additional $500 million FY2024 reprogramming request for
Artificial Intelligence and Autonomy; and DOD Directive
Replicator, if Congress does not appropriate those funds in
3000.09, Autonomy in Weapon Systems.
the FY2024 budget.
Military Personnel and Force Structure
Little information is available publicly about Replicator’s
Another issue concerns the potential implications of
potential total cost and the impact that funding requirements
Replicator systems for military personnel and force
for Replicator could have on funding for other DOD
structure. Within this issue, specific matters include the
programs. Some observers have expressed concern that
number of personnel that might be needed to operate
funding Replicator could reduce funding for other Indo-
thousands of ADA2 systems (and the resulting impact on
Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) priorities, such as
numbers of personnel available for meeting other DOD
munitions and long-range anti-ship missiles.
needs), the training requirements for personnel operating
Replicator systems, and whether fielding Replicator
Some observers have argued to Congress that providing
systems would require making changes in DOD and service
funding that is not tied to a single fiscal year would be
organization. For example, some observers have proposed
critical to Replicator’s success, as doing so would expand
the establishment of specialized drone branches within the
the number of funding sources available to the initiative.
services.
Others might argue that providing such funding could
weaken Congress’s constitutional power of the purse by
reducing Congress’
CRS Products
s control over annual DOD spending.
CRS Report R47188, Unmanned Aircraft Systems: Roles,
Effectiveness of Selected Systems
Missions, and Future Concepts, by Kelley M. Sayler and Michael
Another issue is whether specific systems selected for
E. DeVine.
Replicator are likely to meet DOD’s stated objectives for
CRS Report R46458, Emerging Military Technologies: Background
the initiative. Within this issue, one question concerns the
and Issues for Congress, by Kelley M. Sayler.
ability of Replicator systems to meet the operational needs
CRS In Focus IF11150, Defense Primer: U.S. Policy on Lethal
of INDOPACOM, particularly in terms of systems
Autonomous Weapon Systems, by Kelley M. Sayler.
operating at the extended ranges needed to contribute to
combat operations in the Indo-Pacific. Another

consideration affecting effectiveness is the ability of
selected systems to operate in adverse weather conditions
unique to potential theaters of operation.
Kelley M. Sayler, Specialist in Advanced Technology and
Global Security
IF12611


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DOD Replicator Initiative: Background and Issues for Congress


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https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF12611 · VERSION 2 · UPDATED

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