The U.S. Army plans to award up to six prototype agreements following soldier testing of autonomous resupply systems in Hawaii, then use a subsequent operational assessment to determine which technologies it will buy for forces operating across the Indo-Pacific, officials said Nov. 13.
Soldiers tested equipment from six companies during the U.S. Army Pacific Accelerated Capability Event 27-01, a competition organized by the Global Tactical Edge Acquisition Directorate (G-TEAD), U.S. Army Pacific (USARPAC), and the Army FUZE xTech Program.
The competition, held Nov. 4-13 in Honolulu, tested how unmanned ground vehicles and their command-and-control capabilities could move supplies and evacuate casualties while reducing the burden on soldiers.
Potential follow-on prototype awards are valued at up to $2 million each, according to the Army.
Companies will have roughly 45 days to refine their systems using feedback from soldiers and the Army Test and Evaluation Command in preparation for an operational assessment, Col. Christopher M. Hill Sr., director of G-TEAD, said during a media briefing.
“It is 100% our expectation that the next time we see these systems, they are better than what we just saw during this demonstration,” Hill said.
Hill said the Army could ultimately buy prototypes from one, two, or three companies, depending on the operational assessment and the theater commander’s needs.
Testing evaluated autonomous systems in rugged terrain
The Accelerated Capability Event addressed the difficulty of sustaining dispersed forces across long distances and difficult terrain while supply lines are vulnerable to disruption, said Col. Jeremy R. Schunke, director of concepts for U.S. Army Pacific.
“We need to move further, move faster, and with less risk to our soldiers,” Schunke said.
Schunke described platforms of varying sizes, including one built on a Polaris four-wheeler with autonomous navigation capability. Such systems could carry ammunition, water, food, or a casualty, and potentially perform limited reconnaissance.
Casualty evacuation is a particular concern, he said. Moving one wounded soldier can require four additional soldiers – a physically demanding task over long distances in Pacific heat.
Testing also exposed limitations. Col. Shermoan Daiyan, director of the Army’s Pathway for Innovation and Technology (PIT), said evaluators had seen systems that lacked sufficient mobility or carried their weight too high to remain stable.
A system that struggles in Hawaii’s jungle terrain could still prove useful elsewhere, such as in Europe, Daiyan said. The Army is collecting data across events to help identify where particular capabilities would fit, he noted.
Power presents another trade-off. Schunke said transporting batteries across the Pacific and maintaining their performance in Arctic cold complicates their use. Some soldiers favored combustion engines running on JP-8 fuel until batteries improve, he said, although engine noise creates its own operational concern.
Beyond the vehicles, the competition is testing an acquisition approach that embeds contracting expertise alongside operational commands. Hill said selections incorporate technical evaluations, producibility, cost, company pitches, and soldier feedback. Soldiers have the largest voice in determining which companies advance, he said.
PIT also brings program managers and requirements officials into the process early to prepare successful technologies for broader Army adoption, Daiyan said.
The upcoming operational assessments will place autonomous systems into missions designed with the unit, giving commanders evidence to decide which capabilities to acquire. Hill said agreements arising from these competitions could also support purchases by other theaters when a system meets their needs.
Photo credit: Austin Riel, U.S. Army Pacific Public Affairs Office