Lattice for Mission Autonomy: An Unfair Advantage for Unrivaled Deterrence

Summary

The script discusses the urgent need for the US and its allies to deter war through affordable 'mass' in military power without increasing budgets or personnel. Anduril's Lattice software is highlighted as a solution, enabling command of robotic systems for national security missions with features like sensor fusion, intelligent networking, and dynamic, distributed operations. The emphasis is on mission autonomy, where autonomous systems work under human supervision to perform complete missions, enhancing military capabilities ethically and affordably.

Takeaways

• 🏹 The United States and its allies are facing a deterrence challenge due to adversaries developing advanced weapons to counter traditional forces.
• 🚀 There is a need for fundamental changes in military strategy to increase military power without proportional increases in budget or personnel.
• 💰 The concept of 'affordable mass' is introduced, emphasizing the production of lower-cost, intelligent, and 'attritable' military systems.
• 🤖 Anduril's Lattice is a software operating system designed to command robotic systems for national security missions with a small number of people.
• 🔬 Lattice provides core functionalities like sensor fusion, target identification, intelligent networking, and command and control for various missions.
• 🌐 The system has been tested and is now automating operations of hundreds of robotic systems in tactical environments globally.
• 🤝 Lattice for Mission Autonomy extends capabilities for human operators to interact with robotic vehicles in dynamic, distributed operations.
• 🎯 Mission Autonomy is broader than vehicle-level autonomy, requiring teams of assets to perform complete missions under human supervision.
• 🛠 The software has an open architecture, allowing for rapid composition and reconfiguration of different platforms and payloads for various mission needs.
• 🔄 Lattice supports the entire mission cycle, including operational analysis, training, planning, and post-mission debriefing.
• 🛡 Building trust in autonomous systems involves rigorous training and testing to ensure safety, reliability, and effectiveness in missions.
• 🛑 Anduril aims to shift defense capabilities from hardware-defined to software-centric, enhancing military overmatch through mission autonomy.

Q & A

What is the main challenge the United States and its allies are facing in terms of military deterrence?

The main challenge is the loss of ability to deter great power conflict due to adversaries building vast arsenals of advanced, cost-effective weapons capable of finding, targeting, and destroying traditional forces.

What is the proposed solution to the challenge of increasing military power without significant increases in money and personnel?

The solution is to achieve affordable 'mass' by producing, operating, and sustaining massive amounts of lower-cost, more-intelligent, and more 'attritable' military systems.

What role does autonomy play in the development of military systems as described in the script?

Autonomy is crucial as it enables the development of more intelligent and attritable military systems, primarily delivered through software, which allows for the command of larger numbers of robotic systems with a smaller number of people.

What is Lattice, and how does it contribute to national security missions?

Lattice is a software operating system developed by Anduril that enables a small number of people to command larger numbers of robotic systems for national security missions by providing core software for sensor fusion, target identification, tracking, intelligent networking, and command and control.

How does Lattice for Mission Autonomy extend beyond vehicle-level autonomy?

Lattice for Mission Autonomy goes beyond vehicle-level autonomy by enabling teams of robotic assets to work together under human supervision to perform complete missions, such as defensive counter air or forward reconnaissance and targeting.

What are the core platform-agnostic functions delivered by the Lattice Software for mission autonomy?

The Lattice Software delivers functions essential for mission autonomy, including the ability to make sense of the battlespace, identify threats and objects of interest, enhance survivability, orchestrate complex maneuvers, and synchronize the delivery of effects.

Why is it important to involve warfighters in the development process of mission autonomy systems?

Involving warfighters in the development process ensures that the systems are designed to meet their needs and are effective in accomplishing missions, which is crucial for gaining their trust and ensuring the systems' success in real-world operations.

What is the significance of collaborative combat aircraft (CCAs) in the context of mission autonomy?

CCAs, when teamed with uncrewed autonomous platforms, provide affordable distributed mass at scale and range, serving in various kinetic and non-kinetic roles, which is essential for gaining an advantage in a complex battlespace.

How does Lattice for Mission Autonomy address the need for rapid adaptation to evolving threats and technologies?

Lattice for Mission Autonomy has an open architecture, allowing for the composition of different platforms and payloads from various vendors into mission solutions that can be quickly changed as threats and technologies evolve.

What is the broader perspective of a mission according to Lattice for Mission Autonomy, beyond its execution?

Lattice for Mission Autonomy views a mission as a cycle that includes operational analysis, threat modeling, training, rehearsals, pre-mission planning, and post-mission debriefing to incorporate learnings into the next mission cycle.

How does Lattice support the development of trust between warfighters and autonomous systems?

Lattice supports the development of trust by enabling warfighters to train with autonomous systems, test them rigorously, and incorporate learning and change at the speed of modern software, similar to how they would with human teammates.

Outlines

00:00

🛡️ Military Power Deterrence and Autonomy

The script discusses the diminishing ability of the United States and its allies to deter war due to reliance on a small number of large, heavily manned platforms. Adversaries are developing cost-effective advanced weapons to counter these traditional forces. The solution proposed is a shift towards 'affordable mass' through the use of lower-cost, intelligent, and 'attritable' military systems enabled by autonomy and software. Anduril's Lattice software is highlighted as a key development, allowing a small number of people to command a larger number of robotic systems for various national security missions. Lattice provides essential software functions such as sensor fusion, target identification, intelligent networking, and command and control, which have been proven in border security and air defense. The script emphasizes the need for mission autonomy beyond vehicle-level autonomy, requiring teams of robotic assets to work together under human supervision to perform complete missions.

05:00

🤖 Mission Autonomy and the Future of Defense

This paragraph delves into the concept of Mission Autonomy, which is broader than single vehicle autonomy and involves teams of robotic assets working together under human supervision to perform complex missions. Lattice for Mission Autonomy is introduced as a capability that enables human operators to interact and fight with robotic vehicles in highly contested environments. The software delivers platform-agnostic functions essential for mission autonomy, including making sense of the battlespace, identifying threats, enhancing survivability, and synchronizing the delivery of effects. The script stresses the importance of integrating warfighters into the development process from the start, emphasizing that the value of autonomous systems lies in their ability to make military operations more effective. The role of collaborative combat aircraft and the necessity of mission autonomy to simplify operations for human operators are highlighted. Lattice's open architecture allows for the composition of different platforms and payloads into mission solutions that can be rapidly adapted to evolving threats and technologies.

Keywords

💡Deterrence

Deterrence refers to the principle of preventing hostile actions by an adversary through the threat of negative consequences. In the context of the video, it is the concept of maintaining peace by possessing the military capability to discourage potential adversaries from initiating conflict. The script mentions the importance of deterrence for the prosperity of the United States and its allies.

💡Great Power Conflict

Great Power Conflict denotes a confrontation between nations with significant economic and military strength. The video discusses the diminishing ability to deter such conflicts due to the development of advanced weapons by adversaries, which poses a threat to traditional military forces.

💡Autonomy

Autonomy in the video's context refers to the capability of military systems to operate independently without direct human control. It is a key component of the software operating system 'Lattice,' which allows for the command of robotic systems in national security missions, emphasizing the importance of software in achieving mission objectives.

💡Mass

In the military context, 'mass' refers to the ability to deploy a large number of units or systems. The video emphasizes the need for affordable 'mass,' suggesting the production of numerous lower-cost, intelligent, and more 'attritable' military systems to enhance military power without proportional increases in funding or personnel.

💡Attritable

Attritable, in military terminology, describes systems that are designed to be expendable or easily replaceable, often at a lower cost. The script discusses the need for more 'attritable' military systems that can be produced and sustained at a lower cost, which is crucial for the concept of affordable mass.

💡Lattice

Lattice is a software operating system mentioned in the script, developed by Anduril, which enables a small number of people to command larger numbers of robotic systems for national security missions. It provides core functionalities like sensor fusion, target identification, and command and control, which are essential for mission autonomy.

💡Mission Autonomy

Mission Autonomy is a broader concept than vehicle-level autonomy, encompassing the ability of teams of robotic assets to work together under human supervision to perform complete missions. The video highlights Lattice's role in delivering mission autonomy by providing essential functions for understanding the battlespace and coordinating complex maneuvers.

💡Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA)

CCA refers to aircraft that can operate in conjunction with autonomous platforms to provide sensing and fires capabilities in a contested environment. The script mentions CCAs as an example of how affordable distributed mass can be achieved at scale and range, enhancing military effectiveness.

💡Software-Centric

A software-centric approach emphasizes the importance of software in the development and operation of systems, rather than hardware. The video discusses a shift from a manpower-intensive, hardware-defined military to one that is software-centric, highlighting the significance of software in modern defense capabilities.

💡Human-Machine Teaming

Human-Machine Teaming involves the collaboration between humans and machines to accomplish tasks more effectively. The video describes how Lattice enables human operators to interact and fight with teams of robotic vehicles, changing the dynamic of how humans and machines work together in military operations.

💡Anduril

Anduril is the company mentioned in the script that developed Lattice. The company's mission is to create next-generation defense capabilities with a focus on software-centric solutions and mission autonomy, aiming to build military overmatch ethically and affordably.

Highlights

The United States and its allies are losing the ability to deter great power conflict due to reliance on a small number of large, expensive military platforms.

Adversaries are developing advanced, low-cost weapons to counter traditional military forces, posing a significant threat.

Fundamental changes are necessary to increase military power without proportional increases in budget and personnel.

The concept of 'affordable mass' is introduced, emphasizing the need for lower-cost, intelligent, and more 'attritable' military systems.

Anduril's Lattice software is highlighted as an operating system for commanding robotic systems in national security missions.

Lattice provides core functionalities like sensor fusion, target identification, intelligent networking, and command and control for mission integration.

Lattice has been successfully deployed in tactical environments for border security and air defense automation.

The extension of Lattice to enable dynamic, distributed operations in contested environments is discussed.

Lattice for Mission Autonomy is introduced, offering a broader solution than single vehicle autonomy.

Mission Autonomy requires teams of robotic assets to perform complete missions under human supervision.

Lattice delivers platform-agnostic functions essential for mission autonomy, including threat identification and complex maneuver orchestration.

The development of Lattice involved warfighters from the beginning, focusing on mission outcomes rather than just autonomy.

Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) is presented as a means to provide affordable, distributed mass in a contested environment.

Mission Autonomy is necessary to simplify operations for human operators and enhance the effectiveness of CCAs.

Lattice integrates platforms, piloting, and payloads to deliver autonomous mission outcomes under human supervision.

The open architecture of Lattice allows for rapid composition and reconfiguration of different platforms and payloads for various mission requirements.

Lattice supports the entire mission cycle, including operational analysis, training, planning, and post-mission debriefing.

The importance of training and testing autonomous systems to build trust and readiness with warfighters is emphasized.

Anduril's mission is to ethically build military overmatch and deliver next-generation capabilities with Lattice for Mission Autonomy.

The company's commitment to ensuring warfighters never face a fair fight and the importance of their work is underscored.

Transcripts

Foreign prosperity of the United States and our Allies depends on the deterrence of War.

But we are losing our ability to deter great power conflict.

Still relying upon small numbers of large, exquisite heavily manned aircraft ships and

other platforms to project military power, but our adversaries are building a vast arsenal

of advanced weapons to find, target, and destroy our traditional forces.

All at relatively low cost to them but an unbearably high cost to us.

We cannot and we will not succeed without fundamental changes.

We must be able to generate significant increases in our military power without significant

increases in money and personnel.

Put simply—our goal must be affordable "Mass."

The ability to produce, operate, and sustain massive amounts of lower-cost, more-intelligent

more "attritable" military systems.

This is all about Autonomy—and that will be delivered more than anything else by software.

The first thing we built at Anduril was Lattice, a software Operating System that enables small

number of people to command larger numbers of robotic systems for National Security Missions.

Lattice does this by providing core software like Sensor Fusion, Target Identification

and tracking, Intelligent Networking, and Command and Control that can be integrated

together to solve different missions.

We first proved the concept on submissions like border security and air defense and today

lattice is now automating the operations of hundreds of robotic systems deployed in tactical

environments around the world.

This was challenging, but it was just the beginning.

Over the past four years we have been working closely alongside warfighters and multiple

government partners to extend Lattice to a much more complex challenge: enabling human

operators to actually interact and fight with teams of robotic vehicles to conduct Dynamic

and distributed operations in a highly-contested environment.

The result is capability we call Lattice for Mission Autonomy.

When we talk about Mission Autonomy, we mean something much broader than how a single robotic

vehicle can fly or drive itself safely and effectively from one place to another.

That vehicle level Autonomy is essential, but it is only part of the solution.

Mission Autonomy requires teams of robotic assets working together under human supervision

to actually perform complete Missions, like defensive counter air or forward reconnaissance

and targeting.

The Lattice Software delivers the core platform agnostic functions that are essential for

Mission autonomy not just autonomous piloting but the ability to make sense of the battle

space: identify threats and objects of Interest, enhance survivability, orchestrate complex

maneuvers, and synchronize the delivery of effects.

We actually view our task as building and fielding a weapon system and that's why we

brought our war Fighters into the center of our development process from the very start.

In military operations there's no extra credit for Autonomy—outcomes matter most.

So when it comes to things like collaborative combat aircraft or robotic combat vehicles,

warfighters will only value them, and use them, if they make us more effective in accomplishing

our missions.

In an environment that is highly contested by a near-peer adversary, a crude aircraft

teamed with an uncrewed Autonomous platform, such as a collaborative combat aircraft, will

provide affordable distributed mass at scale and at range.

CCAs can serve in a variety of kinetic and non-kinetic roles providing sensing and fires

that will be critical to gaining an advantage on a complex battle space.

But Mission Autonomy is required to drive the complexity of such operations down for

the human operators.

And platforms are really only part of the solution.

Mainly because they bring the sensors the weapons and other payloads to the fight piloting

is also essential but the main task of a pilot is to fight their weapon systems.

Lattice brings all of these elements together: the platforms, the piloting, and the payloads,

so the groups of robotic systems can deliver Mission outcomes Autonomously under human

supervision.

And because the software has an open architecture, Lattice for Mission Autonomy makes it possible

to compose different platforms and payloads made by different vendors into different Mission

solutions for different Mission requirements—and then change them rapidly when the threats

and the technologies evolve—all at the speed of modern software.

We also built Lattice for Mission Autonomy with the recognition that a mission is bigger

than just its execution: it's a cycle that involves operational analysis and threat modeling,

training and rehearsals, pre-mission planning, and post-mission debriefing to incorporate

the learnings into the next mission cycle.

Lattice provides an Adaptive Digital Platform for Warfighters to engage with Autonomous

Systems across this entire Mission Cycle, much as they do today with human teammates.

This makes it possible to experiment with new tactics, develop new concepts of operation,

organize our teams differently, and incorporate all of this learning and change, again, at

the speed of modern software.

This fundamentally changes how humans and machines will work together.

For warfighters to trust that Autonomous or Semi-Autonomous weapon systems are safe, reliable,

and effective—we need to be able to train them—and train with them, day in and day

out.

Much like we do with our human teammates.

We also need to be able to test them rigorously and repeatedly to make sure they can perform

the basic missions we would delegate to them.

This is how we build trust in readiness with warfighters, and Lattice makes a similar approach

possible with teams of Autonomous Systems.

[Music]

[Autonomous drone taking off]

[Autonomous drone taking off]

[Radio:"Aircraft Away!"]

[THE MOST ADVANCED MISSIONS SYSTEM EVER ]

[Dead Silence]

What we are building at Anduril, represents a major shift in defense capability.

A shift from a manpower intensive, hardware-defined Military to one that is Software Centric and

enhanced by Mission Autonomy.

This change is not optional.

It's essential.

It could mean the difference in the future between deterrence and conflict, winning and

losing, and we don't have much time.

We're not daunted or paralyzed by this problem.

Our company was founded to solve it.

And we have the best engineers in the world working tirelessly to do so.

We know the stakes could not be higher.

We know there is no Mission more important.

We know who we're working for and we will ensure that they never ever face a Fair Fight.

That is what motivates us at Anduril.

We believe we can build Military overmatch ethically—that we can create battlefield

"mass" affordably.

And that we can field next generation capabilities right now.

We're delivering all of this and more with Lattice for Mission Autonomy.

And we're just getting started.