Uncrewed systems are becoming central to modern military operations. Lessons from Ukraine, the rise of collaborative combat aircraft, and investment in autonomous maritime and ground platforms are testing assumptions about cost, capability, and deployment.
Advances in AI and autonomy are accelerating development and creating opportunities for new defense technology companies. How effectively the industry can field these systems at scale will help define military capability over the next decade.
In this Technology Insight, five leading experts examine where uncrewed systems stand today, the challenges they face, and how their roles could evolve over the next ten years.
Key questions explored:
- How mature are uncrewed systems today across air, land, and maritime domains, and how well are they performing in real-world operations?
- What technical, regulatory, and industrial barriers most limit fielding uncrewed systems at scale, and which will be hardest to overcome?
- Which technologies, architectures, and development approaches are proving most effective in progressing uncrewed systems, and what determines their suitability for different missions?
- How must engineering, testing, and certification evolve as uncrewed systems become increasingly autonomous, interconnected, and deployed at scale?
- Looking ten years ahead, how will advances in autonomy, AI, and communications reshape the capabilities and operational roles of uncrewed systems?