Ukraine’s drones inspired: Google’s former CEO started working on a secret UAV – Forbes

Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt is developing a stealth drone inspired by Ukrainian drones. Forbes reports this.

Media journalists spoke with several participants who confirmed, on the basis of anonymity, that Schmidt was developing a new project in the field of defense technology. According to the two, the project is intended to be an American alternative to Chinese unmanned aerial vehicles, and unmanned aerial vehicle systems will be developed specifically for use on the battlefield. Others told the media that the former Google CEO’s work on UAVs was influenced by the billionaire’s recent visits to Ukraine last year, where they said he had contact with government officials and military leaders.

Forbes could not find out who exactly helped the businessman in the implementation of the secret project. However, the media, citing their sources, reported that only a few people could work on the creation of a stealth drone. Journalists also noted in their materials that Eric Schmidt talked about how drones changed the course of the war in Ukraine. After returning from Kiev in July 2023, he even declared that “future wars will be determined and waged by drones.”

The media report also notes that it is unclear when Schmidt will announce his drone project or how he plans to compete with established manufacturers such as Northrop Grumman and a number of new American startups. He may be hoping to capitalize on the Pentagon’s growing interest in American-made drones. The Pentagon recently announced the Replicator program, which aims to reduce China’s dominance of the drone industry by hiring American manufacturers to build thousands of vehicles next year.

Note that, as previously known, the Pentagon will deploy thousands of autonomous military drones over the next two years as part of a new initiative to increase competitiveness with China. The program, called Replicator, was announced by Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks in August 2023. The replicator relies on two important points. First, China’s main advantage is its large number of people and equipment; This means that the United States’ best response would be innovation rather than the pursuit of sufficient “bayonets.” Secondly, the emphasis is on innovative autonomous systems. The goal of the Replicator program is to rapidly deploy small drones in large numbers by leveraging commercial innovations.

Let us recall that at the beginning of December 2023 we wrote about the creation of a reusable interceptor aircraft in the United States. They worked on the drone design for about two years. Full-size prototypes have already undergone intensive flight testing, including a demonstration for an unnamed customer in the United States.

Also in November 2023, it was reported that China was taking a step towards the world’s cheapest drones by developing a low-cost engine. Experts and journalists say the innovative jet engine gives China another competitive advantage over the United States, with both rivals seeing unmanned swarms as the future of warfare.