U.S. Military’s Strategic Deployment of Advanced ‘Autonomous Systems’ in Response to China’s Dominance

(CTN News) – The Pentagon has outlined its strategy to deploy a multitude of drones and advanced technological military assets in the coming two years.

This move comes as the U.S. military embraces “autonomous systems” in response to China’s advantage in numbers of personnel and weaponry.

A senior defense official highlighted this approach, emphasizing the necessity for innovation.

Speaking at a military technology conference in Washington, DC, US Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks underscored the importance of adapting to a new era of strategic rivalry with China.

She contrasted China with the adversaries of the Cold War era, describing the former as a significantly distinct and agile contender.

China’s Military Development and Diminished US Superiority

During the two-decade-long conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, while U.S. forces were deeply engaged, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) diligently and resolutely focused on developing a modern military.

This effort was meticulously tailored to diminish the operational superiority that the U.S. had enjoyed for many years, remarked Hicks during her address.

In a forthright discourse that illuminated Washington’s perspective on the military menace posed by China and its capacity to surpass the scale of the U.S. military, Hicks underscored that the U.S. sustained an advantage due to its capability “to envision, innovate, and master the future nature of warfare.”

The primary strength of Beijing’s military lies in its “magnitude: a greater number of ships, missiles, and personnel,” she emphasized.

“We will counterbalance the mass of the PLA with our own mass, but ours will be more elusive to strategize against, more resilient against attacks, and more challenging to defeat,” she remarked, specifically referring to the Chinese People’s Liberation Army.

The objective of the U.S. is to “deploy adaptable autonomous systems on a substantial scale, numbering in the thousands, across various domains, within the upcoming 18 to 24 months,” as stated by Hicks.

The implementation of “autonomous systems across all operational domains” will be cost-effective and will “reduce the exposure of individuals to direct threats,” she explained.

“Our aim is to ensure that the leadership of the PRC awakens each day, contemplates the consequences of aggression, and concludes that ‘today is not the day’ – not just today, but each day from now leading up to 2027, stretching into 2035, and extending even beyond 2049,” she appended.

Deployment of Autonomous Systems and Cost-Effectiveness

In a routine evaluation of the United States’ defense requisites and priorities, the Pentagon officially designated China as a “pacing challenge” in October. This declaration underscored the immediate need to bolster deterrence measures against Beijing.

The National Defense Strategy articulated that it was imperative to enhance capabilities against China, as it was projected to be the most significant “strategic competitor with enduring impact” for the foreseeable decades.

The issuance of this strategic appraisal closely followed the release of a National Security Strategy by the White House, which similarly characterized China as a primary contender.

This characterization stemmed from China’s evident ambitions to reshape the global order, coupled with its ever-growing economic, diplomatic, military, and technological influence.

Concerns over China’s Actions in the Indo-Pacific Region

Of particular concern to Washington is China’s capability and intention to reshape the dynamics of the Indo-Pacific region.

This apprehension is intensified by China’s territorial claims in the South China Sea and its commitment to reunify Taiwan, an autonomous and democratically-governed entity, with the mainland – even by employing force if deemed necessary.