The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s (DARPA) Squad X Experimentation program has field tested technology that allows infantry squads to collaborate with artificial intelligence and autonomous systems to make decisions in complex, time-critical combat situations.
The test was conducted with the U.S. Marines at the Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms, Calif.
“We are in a race with potential adversaries to operationalize autonomy, and we have the opportunity to demonstrate autonomy in a way that we don’t believe any nation in the world has demonstrated to date,” said Lt. Col. Phil Root, the Squad X program manager in DARPA’s Tactical Technology Office. “Developing hardware and tactics that allow us to operate seamlessly within a close combat ground environment is extremely challenging, but provides incredible value.”
Lockheed Martin’s Augmented Spectral Situational Awareness and Unaided Localization for Transformative Squads system and CACI’s BITS Electronic Attack Module Squad system were field-tested.
To test the Lockheed Martin system, squads wore vests fitted with sensors through mock environments. Autonomous ground and aerial systems surveyed the perimeter and reported to the squad members’ handheld Android Tactical Assault Kits.
To test CACI’s system, a sensor-laden, lightweight tactical all-terrain vehicle and an unmanned aerial system communicated with backpacks mimicking the placement of dismounted squad members.