Joint Chiefs chairman says U.S. forces must prepare to be ‘hunted’ by autonomous systems

In a keynote at AFA's annual Air, Space and Cyber Conference, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine warned that the age of AI-enabled drone warfare has arrived, citing Ukraine as an example where FPV drones with AI computer vision strike targets even without GPS or links, giving small units affordable precision. He noted that new Russian recruits on the front lines may have a life expectancy of only 20-30 minutes, showing how low-cost precision weapons are changing war. Caine stated that U.S. forces must assume their formations will be hunted by autonomous systems, jammed across the spectrum, and tracked in real time, and must transition to deliver lethality at scale with an agile high-low mix of capabilities. He emphasized that AI and cyber advancements are accelerating warfare, with advantage going to the side that can see, understand, decide, and act first. He also highlighted the successful rescue of downed Apache pilots near Oman by an autonomous Saronic Corsair vessel deployed by Task Force 59, crediting entrepreneurial sailors and AI for turning data into a clear maritime picture.

(Source：DefenseScoop)