Will Humans Or AI Control US Military Drone Swarms?

PAUL’S DEFENSE BRIEF (PDB): Pentagon seeks smarter, self-organizing drones. Two requests to the industry may help it address a big emerging challenge: enabling a relatively small number of human operators to direct a far larger number of robots.

Human vs. machine: Operational realities from Ukraine’s frontline. How much human involvement should be required when AI is used in military operations.

“Human-in-the-loop,” where system can select targets and apply force only with human authorization; “human-on-the-loop,” where system selects and applies force without authorization but under human supervision with ability to override; and “human-out-of-the-loop,” where system selects and applies force without human authorization, supervision, or intervention.

Meanwhile: Autonomy to rule the seas? Retired admiral provides analysis about the increasing role of unmanned platforms in Navy.

FOR YOUR EYES ONLY – Here’s a roundup of the top defense news of the last couple of days from conservative national security expert PAUL CRESPO.

THE PDB – Not the President’s Daily Briefing, but almost as good – PAUL’S DEFENSE BRIEF:

NATIONAL SECURITY

Qatari-donated 747-8i aircraft slated to become interim Air Force One finished its modifications and flight testing ahead of launch by this summer. This, as Boeing’s official Air Force One replacements stay delayed.

Cheap missiles, not drones, will win next air war. Watching wars in Ukraine and Iran, NATO defense leaders are finally beginning to pour money into drones. They believe unmanned aerial systems will ensure long-term advantage in conflicts requiring ground operations and infrastructure defense. But battlefield in Ukraine is already pointing toward different future.

We got this. That was Trump administration’s message to European allies in early days of its war with Iran. Washington hadn’t warned its NATO partners about the military campaign, jointly undertaken with Israel, or consulted with them about war’s objectives.

HOMELAND SECURITY

Two West Virginia National Guard officers received military honors for overpowering gunman who shot two fellow Guard troops (killing one) in Washington, D.C., last November.

DEFENSE POLITICS

Republican lawmakers are pressing Army to loosen longstanding restrictions on firearms at recreation sites run by Army Corps of Engineers, arguing policy is out of step with other federal land agencies.

Retired career submariner officer and former advisor to Deputy Defense Secretary selected to perform duties of Undersecretary of Navy.

US POWER OVERSEAS

U.S. military strikes narco-fast boat in Caribbean, killing 2, bringing narco death toll to at least 187.

IRAN CAMPAIGN

U.S. and Iran launched new attacks in Gulf as they wrestle for control over Strait of Hormuz with competing maritime blockades.

What to know as U.S. tries to open Strait of Hormuz to allow hundreds of stranded commercial ships sail out, and ceasefire wavers.

U.S. deploying ‘umbrella’ of defense and tech assets to shield ships in Strait of Hormuz. Iran has launched cruise missiles, drones, and weaponized small boats against commercial vessels and warships in the Strait of Hormuz over the last 24 hours.

Maersk said its Alliance Fairfax, U.S.-flagged vehicle carrier exited Persian Gulf via Strait of Hormuz accompanied by U.S. military assets Monday.

Two U.S.-flagged merchant ships have passed through Strait of Hormuz, as Iranian media circulated unsubstantiated claims the country had struck U.S. warship, which the Pentagon strongly denied.

U.S. military destroyed six Iranian small attack boats and intercepted Iranian cruise missiles and drones as U.S. launched operation to free up shipping through Strait of Hormuz.

MIDDLE EAST THREATS

Israel to buy two entire new fighter squadrons: fourth squadron of F-35I fighters manufactured by Lockheed Martin, and second squadron of F-15IA fighters manufactured by Boeing.

Abandoned and ungoverned: Lebanon’s Palestinian and Syrian populations and the emerging radicalization landscape. Inside Lebanon, the conditions for next extremist uprising are quietly taking root.

CHINA THREAT

China thinks U.S. is declining but still uniquely dangerous. It sees Donald Trump as both symptom and accelerant of the decline.

America’s air superiority is losing altitude. China, focused on beating U.S., on pace to build first sixth-generation stealth fighters. But U.S. already has NGAD F-47 about to launch.

I’m Leaving China After 8 Years. Suspicion of Outsiders Is Rising. WSJ correspondent shares her experience as a Japanese woman reporting for a U.S. newspaper in China.

RUSSIA THREAT/UKRAINE WAR

Russia declared unilateral ceasefire in Ukraine for Friday and Saturday to mark 81st anniversary of Nazi Germany’s defeat in World War II but threatened to strike back at Kyiv if it tries to disrupt the Victory Day festivities. Kyiv says it’ll cease fire two days earlier.

EUROPEAN DEFENSES

Dutch defense-technology startup Intelic set up European military drone marketplace that brings together drone manufacturers from nine European countries, to speed up procurement by allowing militaries to compare various available unmanned systems.

SPACE THREATS

Space Force plans Mission Operations Center to manage backbone of its hybrid commercial-government data transport constellation, the Space Data Network.

INTERNATIONAL SECURITY

150 passengers and crew are stranded off coast of Cape Verde after 3 died and others were left ill, one seriously, following suspected outbreak of deadly rat-borne hantavirus on board cruise ship.

Global defense spending hits a new record… again. Tally of international defense spending shows continued budget increases around the globe.

US MILITARY

Naval Research Laboratory commander outlines new tech goals – including in space.

Army awarded AeroVironment a prototype agreement for its latest Switchblade 400 kamikaze drone variant, to support LASSO program.

Air Force wants to spend more than half billion dollars through 2031 on new protection system designed for cargo and refueling aircraft that features onboard sensors and weapons to track and take down enemy missiles and drones.

END of PDB

FOR MORE DETAILED, UNCENSORED, INTELLIGENCE, AND ANALYSIS FROM PAUL CRESPO, SUBSCRIBE TO HIS SUBSTACK.

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of American Liberty News.

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