WINGMEN


From left, the Wingman command-and-control vehicle and the unmanned Wingman. The command-and-control vehicle is mounted with a Long Range Advanced Scout Surveillance System providing target designation and handoff capability. Equipped with unmanned mobility, automated target tracking and a remotely operated weapon system, the robotic Wingman vehicle permits engagement of targets from covered positions. (U.S. Army photos by Keith Briggs, TARDEC Ground Vehicle Robotics)


In 2016, the U.S. Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division (NSWCDD) joined the Wingman team with its tar- get acquisition and tracking system, the Autonomous Remote Engagement Sys- tem. With the addition of the NSWCDD, the Wingman program received three years of funding to demonstrate the tech- nology. Te program will culminate in a military utility assessment at an Army national training center or equivalent between 2019 and 2020. TARDEC engi- neers say Wingman is the research and development (R&D) community’s first step toward weaponized robotics.


TACTICAL ADVANTAGE


“Te Wingman technology developed today will be foundational for tomor- row’s advanced fighting vehicles,” said Dr. Robert Sadowski, TARDEC chief roboticist. “Te Wingman technology will extend the warfighters’ reach and direct-fire engagement range, allowing our Soldiers to dominate more terrain while keeping them out of harm’s way.”


TARDEC is leading the Wingman devel- opment effort with technical partners ARDEC, NSWCDD and the U.S. Army


Research Laboratory (ARL), which pro- vides the analysis necessary to assess the Wingman technology from a Soldier’s perspective for operational and training purposes.


Military ground elements in first contact with the enemy often uncover obstacles, suffer the highest casualties and become decisively engaged, limiting friendly freedom of maneuver. Capable autono- mous systems could provide a tactical advantage for these operators. However, aggressive state and nonstate actors are also pursuing the development of armed lethal robotics. As the level of autono- mous capability increases, automation will spiral into weaponized systems. Unmanned systems deployed by our adversaries could impact the advantage our current reconnaissance forces have in the fight for information and increase the already high mortality rates of these units.


Te Wingman technology demonstra- tion program will investigate how to use unmanned assets to project lethal- ity and move effectively with a mounted formation and engage ahead of or along


with manned platforms without increas- ing manpower requirements. Te team believes that unmanned assets can reduce casualties by extending the reach of the warfighter through unmatched advanced situational awareness, platform autonomy and targeting in a weaponized unmanned ground vehicle (UGV).


Wingman will begin to develop the con- cept of operations and tactics, techniques and procedures to integrate weaponized, unmanned systems into the current force and increase operational standoff.


Initiating contact with UGVs gives com- manders flexibility and maneuver space to effectively respond to enemy threats, and eliminates some of the risks of casualty extraction. Te Wingman technology will allow friendly commanders the abil- ity to disperse manned systems without creating exploitable gaps and seams in their own formation.


TECHNICAL ADVANTAGE In 1997, a computer named Deep Blue beat world chess champion Gary Kas- parov. By 2005, two amateur chess players using three personal computers


ASC.ARMY.MIL 87


SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY / DASA(R&T)


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