Best Defense

Thomas E. Ricks' daily take on national security.

And you thought I was kidding the other day about Google becoming the nation’s largest defense contractor?

The other day I mentioned the thought that Google one day might be the nation’s largest defense contractor. Well, that may happen sooner than I thought. Google just bought a military robotics company. I could see them easily getting into the UCAV [that is, "unmanned combat aerial vehicle"] business. Can you imagine a competition for ...

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Wikimedia
Wikimedia

The other day I mentioned the thought that Google one day might be the nation's largest defense contractor.

The other day I mentioned the thought that Google one day might be the nation’s largest defense contractor.

Well, that may happen sooner than I thought. Google just bought a military robotics company. I could see them easily getting into the UCAV [that is, "unmanned combat aerial vehicle"] business. Can you imagine a competition for that contract between Northrup Grumman and Google?

In the unmanned acronym department, I think we eventually will move to a distinction between autonomous drones and controlled ones — UADs vs UCDs? At some point, a thinking UAD will consciously make a decision to sacrifice itself for the greater good.

Thomas E. Ricks covered the U.S. military from 1991 to 2008 for the Wall Street Journal and then the Washington Post. He can be reached at ricksblogcomment@gmail.com. Twitter: @tomricks1

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