Squad X Experimentation in testing
The first test of DARPA's Squad X Experimentation programme has successfully demonstrated the ability to extend and enhance the situational awareness of small, dismounted units.
During tests at Twentynine Palms, California, personnel improved their ability to synchronise manoeuvres, employing autonomous air and ground vehicles to detect threats from multiple domains – physical, electromagnetic and cyber – providing critical intelligence as the squad moved through scenarios.
Squad X aims to provide army and marine dismounted units with autonomous systems equipped with off-the-shelf technologies and novel sensing tools developed via DARPA’s Squad X Core Technologies programme. The technologies aim to increase squads’ situational awareness and lethality, allowing enemy engagement more quickly and from longer ranges.
Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control and CACI’s BIT Systems (BITS) are working on different approaches to provide new capabilities to enhance ground infantries. Manned-unmanned teaming is critical to both companies’ solutions.
Lockheed Martin’s Augmented Spectral Situational Awareness, and Unaided Localization for Transformative Squads system, provides UGVs with sensor systems to detect enemy locations, allowing troops to engage and target the enemy with a precision 40mm grenade before the enemy could detect their movement.
CACI’s BITS Electronic Attack Module is designed to detect, locate and attack specific threats in the radio frequency and cyber domains.
Experiment 2 is currently targeted for early 2019.
More from Digital Battlespace
-
EID to unveil new vehicle communication system at DSEI
The Portuguese company’s naval communications system is in service across more than a dozen countries. It has turned to its home nation for support in developing a new vehicle based C2 system.
-
Chess Dynamics successfully demonstrates Vision4ce AI-driven tracker
The Vision4ce Deep Embedded Feature Tracking (DEFT) technology software is designed to process video and images by blending traditional computer vision with artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms to present actionable information from complex environments.
-
Wave Relay devices cleared for security use on commercial systems in industry trend
Persistent Systems has been cleared by National Security Agency (NSA) to transmit sensitive data on commercial networks. The devices are added to the NSA’s Commercial Solutions for Classified (CSfC) component list which also includes other companies’ products providing the same security.
-
UK teases cyber spending boost in Strategic Defence Review ahead of “imminent” release
The release of the UK’s Strategic Defence Review (SDR) has been long promised as mid-year. It is possible it could be as early as 2 June although the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) continues to play its cards close to its chest.
-
Intelsat emphasises SATCOM resilience for SOF in contested domains (video)
Intelsat outlines how its multi-orbit SATCOM architecture is enhancing connectivity and resilience for special operations forces operating in degraded and contested environments.
-
US Space Force’s next-generation missile warning system moves forward with $500 million in new contracts
Next-Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared (Next-Gen OPIR) satellites are intended to provide early warning of missile launches from any location worldwide and new ground stations will result in expanded coverage of critical missile warning.