【By Observer Net, Wang Shipu】On November 16 local time, U.S. Army Secretary Dan Criswell appeared on the CBS "Face the Nation" program and discussed some hot topics with host Margaret Brennan, including Venezuela, government shutdown, drones, and U.S. military procurement mechanisms.
He said that the Ukrainian battlefield has become a "laboratory of war," constantly conducting battlefield innovation, while the U.S. military procurement mechanism is outdated and urgently needs reform. Although the Army Secretary did not admit that "U.S. drones are behind China," he said that China produces 12 million to 14 million drones per year, compared to Ukraine's production of 4 million. He stated that as long as the United States starts procurement reform, "we will catch up and surpass China at an incredible speed."
Screenshot of the U.S. Army Secretary interviewed by CBS TV
Recently, Driscol said that the U.S. Army currently only purchases 50,000 drones per year, facing "production insufficiency." The U.S. Army plans to purchase at least 1 million drones within the next two to three years, and the supply chain for these drones will be "de-Chinaized."
The host also mentioned China's leading position in drones, asking the Army Secretary how he views the threat from China. "Because I read that you think they are ahead of the United States."
Driscol did not directly answer whether U.S. drones are behind China, but he said that Ukraine now produces 4 million drones per year, and I believe China produces 12 million to 14 million drones per year. When hearing this number, Margaret Brennan exclaimed, "Wow."
However, Driscol was confident about the future. He said that the United States is working with Congress on a project called "SkyFoundry." He believes that the historical mistake the U.S. military made over the past several decades was either fully committing or completely abandoning. This means either manufacturing drones ourselves using the U.S. defense industrial base, or saying it's too complex for us and letting the private sector do it. But now it's different.
Driscol said that as a country, we must allow the private sector to help us. "So what we are going to do is invest in sensors, brushless motors, circuit boards, and many components that are difficult for the private sector to obtain now. The U.S. Army will directly build these weapons at our bases and authorize the private sector to buy them from us. Therefore, we will manufacture drones, our private partners will manufacture drones, and we will catch up and surpass China at an incredible speed."
The topic of drones began with Brennan's question about how the U.S. ensures national security against drone threats. The host said that the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Tom Cotton, previously stated that the threat at military installations and large civilian gatherings is "very serious and increasing," and there are also loopholes in law enforcement. How is the U.S. Department of Defense preparing to respond?
Driscol said that this issue is different from any problem the U.S. has faced for a long time. Drones are like improvised explosive devices (IEDs) that can be easily assembled at home, very cheap, and easily transported across borders. This not only requires digital sensors and information acquisition, but also requires the nearest ground units to have the ability to destroy drones.
He said that the U.S. Army is currently working with law enforcement agencies to provide anti-drone solutions for the border, ports, and upcoming National Football League (NFL) games, Olympics, and World Cups. Currently, dealing with drones requires layered defense. The Ukrainian battlefield has already started using guided drones, which cannot be jammed by radio frequency, so methods like net guns have returned. Then he said that the Trump administration's "Gold Dome" project is necessary, and it also includes various anti-drone measures.
Brennan changed the subject to the Ukrainian battlefield. She asked, "Zelenskyy claims 'Ukrainian drones are more advanced than American ones,' and you said that Ukraine is now the 'only war Silicon Valley.' What do you mean by that? Are Ukrainians really leading in innovation compared to the United States?"
In his response, Driscol acknowledged Ukraine's leadership in drone applications. He said that during the "Web Operation," Ukrainians may have used drones worth tens of thousands of dollars, but destroyed equipment worth nearly $10 billion inside Russia. And Russia is also using drones extensively in the war. The U.S. advantage is its ability to quickly recognize innovative places. He believed, "What we are doing in drones is completely different from what our military has done in the past 50 or 60 years."
As a response, he said that the Army invited 15 top CEOs from companies across the U.S., mainly posing these questions: "What in your technology innovation pipeline can help us handle data in a competitive environment? If we face an enemy trying to challenge us, how can we ensure logistics 10,000 miles away?"
He said that the U.S. Army is currently working with these companies to apply their innovative methods to solve current problems.
It is worth noting that after President Trump signed multiple executive orders in June to push for "U.S. drones not relying on foreign manufacturing," the U.S. industry has realized that Trump's move is akin to a dream.
Hong Kong English media South China Morning Post reported that U.S. companies are angry about the "disturbing" potential consequences of implementing Trump's executive orders. Industry professionals and analysts also stated that China's leading position in the global drone market makes it difficult for the U.S. to exclude China from the supply chain, at least for now.
A contractor working on the U.S. Department of Defense's "Blue Drone Program," Trent Emeneke, said that U.S. drones still heavily rely on Chinese components, especially the battery, motor, and magnet markets are almost entirely controlled by China.
Emeneke explained, "The Blue Drone Program" tries to find alternatives outside of China, but due to lack of funding, "it actually hasn't worked," and the project only produced a negligible number of U.S.-made drones.
He explained that the biggest weakness of the U.S. lies in components such as batteries, motors, and magnets, whose market control is still 100% in China's hands.
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Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7573575211346395663/
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