Fort Hood Soldiers assigned to 36th Engineer Brigade are integrating autonomous technology into large-scale maneuver training and experimenting with robotic systems designed to support combat engineers to reduce risk to Soldiers on the battlefield.
The training brings together Soldiers, engineers and industry partners to test these emerging technologies and explore how autonomous systems can support maneuver formations during high-risk operations such as breaching obstacles and clearing terrain.
Col. Justin M. Pritchard, commander of 36th Eng. Bde., said autonomous systems have the potential to expand the Army’s combat power while helping protect Soldiers during some of the most dangerous missions.
“Autonomous technologies multiply the Army’s most vital warfighting advantage — our Soldiers,” Pritchard said. “We have an obligation to leverage technology to breach deadly obstacles and deny the enemy terrain, thereby preserving our warfighters for the decisive operations where their judgment and boldness are indispensable.”
During the training, engineers worked with robotic vehicles capable of conducting tasks such as reconnaissance, obstacle breaching and obscuration. Leaders say integrating these technologies into training environments allows units to learn how they fit into real-world missions before they are ever used in combat.
Maj. Michael J. Caddigan, operations officer for 36th Eng. Bde, said the goal is to integrate robotic systems alongside Soldiers during high-risk missions.
“Soldiers employ advanced technology for the most hazardous missions in the same manner they would during manned operations,” Caddigan said. “The goal is for robots to lead the initial wave, tackling the most dangerous tasks, like breaching obstacles.”
Caddigan said the training allows engineers to experiment with human-machine formations, helping units identify which systems are most effective while refining tactics for future operations.
“These robots are integrated into human-machine formations, allowing Soldiers to experiment and identify which technologies prove most effective in real-world scenarios,” he said.
The effort also supports a broader initiative to experiment with emerging technologies earlier in the training cycle, allowing units to gain experience with new systems even before they are fully fielded.
Lt. Col. Nicholas Rinaldi, a project lead with the Army Applications Laboratory, said practicing with new technology now ensures Soldiers are prepared to use it effectively in future conflicts.
“Autonomous systems are really one of the tools we must master as the next tool in our toolkit for ground combat,” Rinaldi said. “If we can’t learn how to use autonomous systems well, we will not win.”
Rinaldi emphasized the focus is not only on developing technology, but also on ensuring Soldiers gain the repetitions needed to employ it effectively in combat.
“We must get repetitions before we ever have to use it,” he said. “Regardless of how good a tool is, if Soldiers have never used it before, they won’t be effective with it.”
For Soldiers on the ground, the systems offer a new way to conduct some of the Army’s most dangerous missions.
Spc. James Chubb, a combat engineer assigned to 59th Combat Engineer Company-Armored, 20th Engineer Battalion, 36th Eng. Bde., operated multiple autonomous platforms during the training, including a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Robotic Autonomy in Complex Environments with Resiliency (RACER) autonomous vehicle and an ULTRA unmanned all-terrain vehicle capable of delivering obscuration while moving toward an objective.
The vehicles navigate primarily through autonomous routing by assigning a GPS location, though operators can assume direct control when terrain becomes too complex for automated movement.
“Most of the time you give it a point on the GPS, and it does the rest,” Chubb said. “If the terrain gets too narrow or difficult, you can take over with tele-operation using a controller.”
For combat engineers, who often operate at the front of an assault during obstacle breaches, the ability to control robotic systems remotely can significantly reduce risk to personnel.
“As a combat engineer, my life expectancy rate is about 8% in a breach,” Chubb said. “Using systems like this allows me to stay inside an armored vehicle and control it from a computer, which takes me out of the breach entirely.”
While the technology shows promise, leaders say integrating autonomous systems into maneuver operations still presents challenges.
“New technology requires additional training and support from our industry partners,” Pritchard said. “The real challenge is networking autonomous technology into our mission planning and decision-making systems, as well as determining how to troubleshoot, maintain and replace systems that may be destroyed in combat.”
Despite those challenges, leaders say experimentation and repeated training are critical to preparing engineers and maneuver units for future battlefields.
“The technology to remove Soldiers from the point of breach is already available,” Caddigan said. “It is critical that we continue to test and train with these systems to maximize proficiency through repeated training events.”
As the Army continues to study modern conflicts and evolving battlefield technology, leaders say training events like these ensure Soldiers are prepared to integrate autonomous systems into future operations while maintaining the Army’s decisive advantage on the battlefield.
“We can’t wait until we deploy or until we arrive at a major training center to see these kinds of battlefield effects,” Rinaldi said.
