What's next for the Pentagon after the Replicator programme?
Although the Replicator initiative has made several accomplishments, there are still multiple gaps to plug across the US Department of Defense (DoD) and its services.
Rheinmetall Defence Australia has signed a strategic research and development partnership agreement with Defence Science and Technology (DST) to develop autonomous vehicle systems for land based platforms in Australia, the company announced on 22 October.
The five-year agreement will include research and development activities to support the Boxer combat reconnaissance vehicle (CRV) Rheinmetall is delivering to the Australian Defence Force for the Land 400 Phase 2 programme.
Rheinmetall’s capabilities in autonomous land platforms for defence include the Boxer JODAA operational and technology demonstrator which has been built for the German Bundeswehr. The demonstrator has been developed to test a range of technical capabilities including remote controlled driving supported by camera systems, and autonomous operations including the operation of unmanned aerial or ground vehicles.
Rheinmetall Defence Australia managing director Gary Stewart, said: 'Rheinmetall has significant expertise across autonomous systems in both the commercial automotive and defence sectors and we look forward to working collaboratively with the high calibre team at DST to bring this capability to Australia and explore its potential for the ADF.'
Rheinmetall has invested $2.5 million in the development of a new Accelerated Endurance Course at Linfox’s Australian Automotive Research Centre near Anglesea, Victoria.
Although the Replicator initiative has made several accomplishments, there are still multiple gaps to plug across the US Department of Defense (DoD) and its services.
Cummings Aerospace presented its turbojet-powered Hellhound loitering munition at SOF Week 2025, offering a man-portable solution aligned with the US Army’s LASSO requirements.
PDW has revealed its Attritable Multirotor First Person View drone at SOF Week 2025, offering special operations forces a low-cost, rapidly deployable platform for strike and ISR missions, inspired by battlefield lessons from Ukraine.
Teledyne FLIR is highlighting the emerging requirements for 'recoverable and re-usable' loitering munitions across the contemporary operating environment during this week’s SOF Week conference in Tampa, Florida.
High-performance maritime industry player Kraken Technology Group, based in the UK, has used the SOF Week conference in Tampa, Florida this week to debut its K3 Scout uncrewed surface vessel (USV) to the North American market.
Red Cat and Palladyne AI recently conducted a cross-platform collaborative flight involving three diverse heterogeneous drones.