Abstract
The crisis surrounding the Taiwan Strait has accelerated the qualitative and quantitative arms race between the U.S. and China. This paper focuses on the U.S. “Replicator Initiative,” regarded as one of the central elements of this dynamic and examines its impact on the contemporary strategic environment from both theoretical and practical perspective. The initiative aims to counter China’s A2/AD strategy and enhance regional deterrence through the low-cost, large-scale deployment of AI-enabled unmanned systems. This study examines the impact of pursuing both quantitative and qualitative superiority in the context of the contemporary arms race from multiple perspectives, including strategic significance, technological challenges, financial burdens, and implications for the military balance. Through a comparison with historical arms race, this study situates and complex structure of contemporary military competition within both theoretical and practical frameworks and offers insights into Japan’s strategic response. The study concludes that Japan, in particular, must pursue a comprehensive strategy that includes deeper cooperation with the U.S., the development of operational frameworks for unmanned systems, and the implementation of confidence-building measures.
