In a possible future war against China, the U.S. will use thousands of autonomous drones.

The Pentagon has unveiled an ambitious new strategy called Project Replicator to deploy autonomous drones against China.

U.S. Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks announced plans to rapidly scale up unmanned combat systems over the next two years. This drone force expansion aims to offset China’s numerical advantage in personnel.

By 2025, the Replicator plan will involve thousands of self-directed drones across air, ground, surface, underwater, and space domains. They would operate independently even with poor communications, preserving soldiers’ lives.

The Pentagon believes overwhelming drone volumes and AI-enabled autonomy can counter the People’s Liberation Army’s workforce in a Taiwan clash. Expendable drones are also far cheaper than conventional forces.

However, China’s military tech advances suggest that any conflict would not be one-sided. China is closing the capability gap as a nuclear power and space leader with hypersonic missiles and a massive navy.

While Replicator highlights American innovation, underestimating Chinese counter-drone defenses could prove disastrous. Sheer drone numbers may not guarantee victory against a peer adversary.

Rather than arms race brinkmanship, both nations should pursue urgent diplomacy. War would only catastrophically impair the deep economic ties binding the U.S. and China.

Let me know if you want me to modify or expand this draft blog post covering the Pentagon’s Replicator drone plan and its implications.