The Army Tank-Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC) and Lockheed Martin [LMT] recently demonstrated the ability of fully autonomous convoys to operate in urban environments with multiple vehicles of different models.
The January demonstration at Fort Hood, Texas, was part of the Army and Marine Corps’ Autonomous Mobility Applique System (AMAS) program. It marked the completion of the program’s Capabilities Advancement Demonstration (CAD).
The AMAS CAD was jointly funded by the Army Training and Doctrine Command’s (TRADOC) Capabilities Integration Center (ARCIC) and Lockheed Martin.
The whole idea of robots is attractive to the service, which has been looking into it for some time.
In just one example, in 2007, General Dynamics
[GD] used one of its Stryker Infantry Carrier Vehicles to follow a manned Light Medium Tactical Vehicle to test basic robotic convoy function and accuracy with obstacle detection and avoidance technology (Defense Daily, Dec. 20, 2007). It was in 2003 that General Dynamics and then-SAIC [SAI] signed a $185 million contract to develop the FCS Autonomous Navigation Capability for ground vehicles. FCS was subsequently canceled.
TRADOC considers that robots will be part of the Army’s future, according to its commander, Gen. Robert Cone, at an Army conference in late January. After all, robots have already been successful in the field detecting and neutralizing improvised explosive devices, searching buildings and doing what the service calls the “dumb, dirty and dangerous jobs, so soldiers don’t have to.” The Army will look for areas in brigades that could be automated.
Additionally, a late January discussion of a Strategic Trends Seminar included robots as a topic. Army attack helicopters have successfully teamed with unmanned aerial vehicles, said Maj. Gen. Bill Hix, deputy director, ARCIC, who added that unmanned convoys could be a feature of the future Army.
The recent ARCIC and Lockheed Martin test involved driverless tactical vehicles navigating hazards and obstacles such as road intersections, oncoming traffic, stalled and passing vehicles, pedestrians and traffic circles in both urban and rural test areas.
“The AMAS CAD hardware and software performed exactly as designed, and dealt successfully with all of the real-world obstacles that a real-world convoy would encounter,” said David Simon, AMAS program manager for Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control.
Photo: U.S. Army
The AMAS hardware and software are designed to automate driving on current tactical vehicles. The Unmanned Mission Module part of AMAS, which includes a high performance LIDAR sensor, a second GPS receiver and additional algorithms, is installed as a kit and can be used on virtually any military vehicle. In the CAD demonstration, the kit was integrated onto the Army’s M915 trucks and the Palletized Loading System (PLS) vehicle.
“It was very important that we had representation from the technology, acquisition and user bases, along with our industry partners, here at the CAD,” said TARDEC technical manager Bernard Theisen. “We are very pleased with the results of the demonstration, because it adds substantial weight to the Army’s determination to get robotic systems into the hands of the warfighter.”
Senior Army leaders representing the Army Materiel Command (AMC), ARCIC, the Combined Arms Support Command (CASCOM) and TARDEC were present to witness the demonstration. While the AMAS JCTD is aimed at augmenting the safety and security of human drivers in a convoy mission, the CAD was aimed at completely removing the soldier from the cab.