US to launch 'Swarm Drone' fleet to counter China – US Dy. Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks warns

Gold Coast: Russia is a bigger threat to US security. However, the challenges from China on the military front are even more dangerous. Thus, the United States will use thousands of automated military systems in the next two years to counter these challenges of China. There will be a big inclusion of war robots, swarm drones in these, warned US Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks. Secretary Hicks also claimed that the importance of using drones has been underlined due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict that started in the last one and a half years.

The manufacturing of robotic systems, patrol and attack drones has advanced greatly since the last decade. These robots and drones are also being used at business and military levels. These drones, which are smaller in size and less expensive to produce, have changed the equations of the conflict. However, the drones will play a very important role in future, considering their performance in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Hicks said.

Moreover, Secretary Hicks drew attention to the changing landscape of the Russia-Ukraine conflict due to drone-launched explosives, rockets and missiles. The Ukrainian navy had trapped Russian warships in the Black Sea region in this conflict by drone attacks. Because of this, even Russian warships could not leave their ports for a few days, claimed Secretary Hicks. Hicks also recalled Ukraine destroying Russian tanks and armoured vehicles using drones provided by Turkey.

Hence, the world has learned that the war will be fought on different fronts and levels in the future. The US Defense Headquarters Pentagon has also taken cognizance of this and has activated the new ‘Replicator’ programme for this, informed Secretary Hicks. ‘According to this plan, in the next 18 to 24 months, i.e. in two years, the US Army will be equipped with thousands of robots and drones. These robots and drones will be used for very complex and challenging military operations,’ Secretary Hicks said.

‘These drones, being prepared at a low cost, can be deployed for difficult military operations. If these drones were lost in combat or fell into enemy hands, it would not be a major loss to the mission,’ Hicks asserted. Hicks claimed that it would be possible to avoid the loss of soldiers encountered in the US military operations so far due to these drones. ‘Drones can also be deployed on land, sea, air and space. Drones will be seen everywhere,’ said Secretary Hicks.

After this, while speaking on the issue of China‘s threat, the US Deputy Defense Secretary drew attention to the capabilities achieved by this country. ‘The United States has very advanced and good-quality defence equipment. However, China’s People’s Liberation Army had more troops, tanks, warships, missiles and other weapons than the United States. Using this, China can attack Taiwan,’ Hicks noted. Moreover, Secretary Hicks expressed confidence that US swarm drones could thwart China’s attack in such a situation.

“The United States will not attack China immediately with the help of these swarm drones. However, China should feel such fear every day. With the power of these robots and drones of the United States, China will have to live in fear not only today but till 2049,’ Hicks said. For this, Secretary Hicks expressed the need for the United States to make maximum use of ‘Artificial Intelligence,’ i.e. ‘AI’.