‘Boots and Bots’ — what future Army capability could look like
In this new age of hybrid warfare, we are facing a world of threats that go beyond the traditional battlefield. Human-machine teaming can improve the effect the Army can have through digitalisation. But how does it all work?
Human-machine teaming and what it means
Now more than ever before, we are facing a world of new threats that go beyond traditional warfare. The British Army needs to be able to operate in a challenged environment where communications are difficult.
The Army Warfighting Experiment (AWE) 2020 has aimed to address this and demonstrated the future digital backbone which can interconnect Boots (individual soldiers), Bots (autonomous ground and air systems), armoured vehicles, helicopters and headquarters.
Communicating with each other
In the past, a Section of soldiers were able to have an effect upon an enemy up to 400m away on the ground, which increased with larger but heavier weapon systems, such as a General Purpose Machine Gun or a Sharpshooter Rifle.
However, these traditional methods lack a wider situational understanding of the environment around the battlefield, which is key to increasing agility and tactical advantage over an enemy. A Dismounted Situational Awareness (DSA) system that soldiers can wear can help with this.
AWE 2020 demonstrations showed these devices were able to update everyone in the Section in real time with their own location, as well as other units in the area. This meant they could act more quickly in combat due to the increased knowledge of each other’s movements.
This information was also able to be shared through the digital backbone to headquarters locations to ensure a complete picture of the situation was understood.
Eyes in the Sky
Should a Section need to take cover in battle, they will have reduced their ability to see and understand what is happening around them. Uncrewed Aerial Systems (or UAS) provide a clear advantage to the Section without needing to request assistance from others.
Nano UAS’ in particular are light and transportable, meaning they can scan the battlefield without exposing the soldiers, seeing things they cannot see more quickly and farther than they can from cover or on foot.
Electronic mules
There’s a lot of kit for a Section of soldiers to carry or drive to the battlefield, which can be tiring and time consuming. The use of Uncrewed Ground Systems (or UGS) acts as the Section’s load carrier.
Using the same digital backbone linking all other Robotic and Autonomous Systems (RAS), the Section can call forward the UGS, which reduces the need for the soldiers to carry heavy equipment such as ammunition, rations, and personal equipment.
It is also able, if necessary, to bring casualties back and act as a field generator to recharge the batteries powering Section devices.
The key take away from AWE 2020
AWE 2020 demonstrated how through working collaboratively with industry and academia, the British Army can increase awareness of battlefield surroundings, improving communication when on the move, make deployments more effective, and increase survival of personnel in combat.
This was made possible through human-machine teaming, underpinned by a digital backbone that may be the future of Army warfighting.
Find out more about AWE 2020 here 👇
3 things to know about the Army Warfighting Experiment
