China’s most important asset in potential war with the United States is “mass,” says Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks: “More ships. More missiles. More people.”
To counter that advantage, the Defense Department will launch an initiative called Replicator to create cheap drones across the air, sea, and land in the “multiple thousands” within the next two years.
Cheap drones, of the type Ukraine has deployed to great effect against Russia, can be produced close to the battlefield at much lower cost than typical Defense Department weapons.
Chinese drones are so cheap because they are very high volume and very low capability. (Compared to normal military gear) Lower wages also don’t hurt. But to domestically make cheap drones, they’ll need to make millions and not let the military feature creep them to death.