{"id":20606,"date":"2018-10-22T22:33:53","date_gmt":"2018-10-22T22:33:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/uncategorized\/2018\/10\/22\/these-soldiers-laid-out-battlefield-problems-they-hope-robots-can-fix\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T02:10:02","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T02:10:02","slug":"these-soldiers-laid-out-battlefield-problems-they-hope-robots-can-fix","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/news\/your-army\/2018\/10\/22\/these-soldiers-laid-out-battlefield-problems-they-hope-robots-can-fix\/","title":{"rendered":"These soldiers laid out battlefield problems they hope robots can fix"},"content":{"rendered":"
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This year, two Army IBCTs and a not-yet-disclosed Marine unit will be testing variants of a load-bearing robot vehicle. Todd South tells us more.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n

Soldiers from a variety of backgrounds recently met with a national consortium on ground vehicles<\/a> to find out what problems that bedevil soldiers<\/a> might be fixed by robots or autonomous solutions<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Groups of six to 12 soldiers outlined difficulties they face on the battlefield during a meeting at Fort Benning, Georgia, with the National Advanced Mobility Consortium.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The groups included representatives from the following soldier communities: the 75th Ranger Regiment, the captains career course, infantry, Stryker, Bradley, reconnaissance and the Robotics Requirements Division.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Col. Tom Nelson, director of the Robotics Requirements Division, said the groups met with consortium representatives to lay out problems such as increasing situational understanding on the battlefield or mitigating risk in the close, urban fight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The effort specifically focused on the problem and not a specific system or platform, Nelson said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But the problems are looking at the lower ends of combat, with an eye to the squad, platoon and company levels, said Don Sando, deputy to the commanding general of the Maneuver Center of Excellence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Both he and Nelson are coordinating the efforts of the newly organized Robotics Center of Innovation at Fort Benning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By taking that approach, officials hope that a problem facing a Stryker unit would have applications for an infantry, reconnaissance or armored unit as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, Sando said, problems in urban areas might plague any of the various combat units.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHow do you understand quickly that environment, which changes dynamically?\u201d he said. \u201cAnd how do you precisely engage enemy combatants in that terrain?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, Nelson said, by looking at the problem with an outside group, rather than focusing on a specific piece of equipment, they aim to get a different perspective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Asking for feedback only from defense program managers or soldiers can limit the responses based on their experiences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEven myself, I will go to a material solution, whereas industry might be able to innovate without the burden of experience,\u201d Nelson said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The consortium will narrow down a list of questions to focus on within the coming weeks. That list will then be put through a round of separate surveys and interviews within the Army before the consortium tackles a few of the key problems. They are scheduled to present recommendations and solutions in April, Sando said.<\/p>\n\n\n\t