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.

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The Newport Manual, published in 2023, reflects the law as it exists (lex lata), prevailing rules governing naval warfare as States have recognized and employed them in the past and present, as we have moved from the era of the post-Cold War to the great Power Competition. This manual has been prepared for the practical application of the law of naval warfare by naval and joint force commanders, staff officers, legal advisors, and other practitioners as new areas of review emerge in line with advances in science and technology. As noted in the preface to the Japanese edition by Professors James Kraska and Pete Pedrozo of U.S. Naval War College, this manual is also the only one that incorporates the experience of Japan, the United States, Australia, and India navies in the Indo-Pacific region, which will help to enhance interoperability among allies and friends. This article provides an overview and necessary explanations of 20 topics in the Newport Manual, including the status of ships and crews, mines and mine laying, restrictions on the immediate vicinity of naval operations, law of neutrality, and non-international armed conflict

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Joint, in which multiple military services cooperate to achieve specific objectives, was also implemented in equipment acquisitions, with the expectation that it would eliminate duplication of projects between services and reduce costs by achieving economies of scale. However, in the United States, integration programs such as the integrated fighter program in the 1960s and later failed to achieve cost reductions. However, in the United States, joint programs such as the Joint Fighter Program in the 1960s and later did not achieve cost reductions. This study examines the limitations of joint acquisition by comparing and analyzing the US Joint Fighter and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle programs, and verifies what factors hinder cost reduction and whether it is possible to achieve cost reduction. In Japan, “Defense Buildup Program” indicates that concentrated investment will be made in equipment and technology fields based on an Integrated Equipment System. However, in order to avoid unnecessary cost increases, it is necessary to conduct sufficient prior verification to determine whether the equipment is suitable for joint acquisition.

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