October 15, 2014
Robotics on the Battlefield Part II: The Coming Swarm
In "Robotics on the Battlefield Part II: The Coming Swarm," 20YY Warfare Initiative Director Paul Scharre explores the power of robot swarms. It includes specific recommendations for action to preserve U.S. military dominance in an age of autonomous systems.
The report suggests that swarms of cooperative, autonomous robotic systems have the potential to bring greater mass, intelligence, coordination, and speed to the battlefield. Many of the underlying technologies that enable swarming will be widely available, however, placing an imperative on capitalizing on the potential of swarms first, and sustaining rapid innovation.
Mr. Scharre notes, "Militaries that figure out how best to employ swarms, along with the doctrine, training, command-and-control structures, and other key enablers needed to support them, will have a significant advantage over those who do not."
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Paul Scharre
Senior Fellow and Director, Technology and National Security Program
Paul Scharre is a Senior Fellow and Director of the Technology and National Security Program at the Center for a New American Security. He is author of the forthcoming book, A...
