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.