Geronimo, Rakkasans and Robots: How Joint Readiness Training Center Rotation 21-10 Accelerated the Army’s Robotic Combat Vehicle Development

by MAJ Cory Wallace, MAJ Dan Groller and Todd J. Willert For the first time in history, the Army integrated Robotic Combat Vehicle (RCV) surrogates into a force-on-force exercise that will add to the growing body of evidence supporting the value of the manned-unmanned teaming concept. The exercise, Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC) Rotation 21-10, held in September 2021 at Fort Polk, LA, collected an unprecedented amount of technical data and Soldier feedback that will inform future decisions re garding the potential fielding and use of RCVs in Army formations. The information gained in the exercise will also help reduce the associated technical risk of RCVs. This experiment specifically confirmed that unmanned vehicles increase sur vivability of the human formation and allow commanders to dedicate human combat power to solve complex problems while unmanned vehicles per form tasks such as blocking key road intersections, observing obstacles and denying access to helicopter landing zones. Lessons-learned The rotation used two Project Origin platforms that 1st Battalion (Airborne), 509th Infantry (Geronimo), employed while “fighting” 3/101st (Air Assault) (Rakkasans) during JRTC Rotation 21-

10. The Next-Generation Combat Vehicles Cross-Functional Team (NGCV-CFT) and the Army Capability Manager-Infantry Brigade Combat Team had directed integration of two Project Origin platforms into Rotation 21-10, realizing that JRTC offered a complex and dynamic environment that would push current technology and un manned ground-system behavior beyond limits established in previous experiments. In other words, JRTC would stress sys tems to their breaking points and identify problems that would undoubtedly arise in the future. As previously mentioned, Rotation 21- 10 was the first time a rotational unit fought enemy unmanned ground-com bat vehicles. Equipping Geronimo with RCV surrogates enabled the Army to begin to understand the tactics, tech niques and procedures (TTPs) required to defeat robotic and autonomous systems (RASs). Allowing a world-class opposing force (OPFOR) to push robotic platforms to their limits enabled the Army to learn critical lessons that will shape and in form RCV platform requirements, soft ware and network capabilities. It will also help develop new TTPs to employ unmanned platforms. Speaking to the first benefit, the Army confirmed a previous data point that system reliability and the ability to facilitate future payloads should be the near-term focus for developing RASs such as the RCV. For Rotation 21-10, Project Origin provided operators with capabilities such as a Common Remote Operated Weapon System-Jave lin, a tethered unmanned aerial system (UAS), a smoke-obscuration module and autonomous-drive capability. This capability set is a reduction of scope when compared to previous experiments, but operators and leaders stated that these capabilities, coupled with high system and network reliability, is perfect for “Version 1.0.” Soldiers agreed that future operating en vironments will require mission-specific payloads; accordingly, the RCV must have both the growth and mod ularity to facilitate these future capabilities. Soldiers and team leaders who used Project Origin in the rotation validated the benefits of bringing an RCV into the fight. 1LT Michael Volpe, a platoon leader in Pathfinder Company/1-509th, said that coupling system reliability with Project Origin’s current capability set – as well as including the inherent capacity for future growth and development of RCV platforms – “will be one of the best things we could ever have.” JRTC Rotation 21-10 tested the Project Origin system in multiple ways – just as the vehicle’s engineering team hoped. Not only did Project Origin have to contend with the Figure 1. The RCV in position at JRTC for Rotation 21-10. (U. S. Army photo) communications challenges presented by JRTC’s congested network during the rotation, but a tropical storm hit Fort Polk while the Soldiers and robots were out in the field. Both the net work challenges and the extreme weather enabled the Army to identify new problems for which the Army has the luxury of time to solve. Previous experiments Prior to Rotation 21-10, Project Origin’s experiments hinged upon a scope and scale that rarely exceeded the platoon level. Network congestion was rarely an issue. Weather challenges – while clearly apart of any potential combat scenario – had not been pres ent in previous Soldier touchpoints. JRTC’s expansive scope identified the same issues the Army will encounter in future large-scale robotic experiments. Project Origin requires very lit tle resources and thus enabled the Army to learn these lessons for a frac tion of the cost associated with larger-scale experiments. Further, many of the issues encountered at JRTC per tained to the systems’ software and are relevant to other RAS efforts. Iden tifying these problems using a rela tively low-cost system such as Project Origin will enable the Army to correct software deficiencies and distribute updated software throughout the RAS portfolio to optimize RAS performance in complex. Operators and leaders know that ad versaries will contest and degrade fu ture networks. Therefore, facing those challenges now in a training rotation is critical to the advancement of RCV employment. As with any mission, be ing able to disseminate information rapidly throughout a formation is im perative for leaders to make informed decisions and re main inside their adversaries’ decision process. Learning how best to do that with robots in a degraded net work environment is a key part of both the RCV campaign of learning and fu ture Army oper ating concepts. JRTC Rotation 21- 10 enabled the Army to learn these vital les sons early and will provide DEV COM with the time required to develop solutions prior to the Ar my’s arrival at is 2035 moderniza tion aim point. Robot tasks Regarding use cases, this rotation validated the nota tion that robots can perform the “dumb, dirty and dangerous missions,” enabling their human counterparts to focus on high-priority complex missions and tasks. Specifically, Geronimo tasked Project Origin with establishing blocking positions, denying helicopter-landing zones (HLZs) and conducting route reconnaissance when contact with the rotational unit was likely. Project Origin established a blocking position of a key intersection for 36 hours. Two platforms, controlled by four operators and a noncommis sioned officer, allowed Geronimo to re-task the two squads previously committed to a blocking position to other tasks. Project Origin also conducted a route reconnaissance prior to Geronimo’sat tack on an urban objective. The robots identified an entire Delta (anti-armor) Company and facilitated its destruc tion in a fraction of the time typically required with such an operation. Project Origin The Project Origin surrogate is an Army Development Command Ground Vehicle Systems Center prototyping effort that provides the Army with the abil ity to conduct rapid technology and autonomous-behavior inte gration. Soldiers assess the proj ect during multiple touchpoints each year and thus drive devel opment and refinement of RCV requirements, employment techniques and mission-support roles. Ultimately Project Origin is one of several feedback mechanisms the Army is using to facilitate the development of unmanned vehicles tailored to the requirements of both operators and leaders. Project Origin’s key competency is its ability to collect Soldier feedback and technical data; use this information to rapidly iter ate both its software and physical payloads; and evaluate the changes in relevant tactical envi ronments. The lessons-learned during Project Origin experi ments directly support develop ment of the RCV concept and the Army’s forthcoming ground au tonomy software, user interfaces (Warrior Machine Interface) and modular architectures. Figure 2. An RCV focuses on a UAS during JRTC Rotation 21-20. (U. S. Army photo)

While conducting HLZ denial, Project Origin enabled Geronimo to disrupt the rotational unit’s planned course of action and degrade its combat power at the same fraction of combat power required to establish the blocking positions. To summarize, Geronimo learned that if a task was dangerous or required hours of mundane observation, they could pass the task to a robot so they could focus human combat power on dynamic and complex missions and re duce tactical risk. Further expanding on this point, Geronimo has a unique skillset that involves a high degree of proficiency in conducting dismounted envelopments at night. The skills required to covert ly and rapidly move through dense vegetation at night, identify a position of relative advantage and coordinate indirect fire to support dismounted maneuver is a complex and difficult problem. The amount of abstract thinking associated with this skillset aligns more with the supercomputer known as the human brain, as op posed to a robot. Conversely, establishing blocking posi tions, making initial direct-fire contact during a route reconnaissance or ob serving potential enemy avenues are tasks better performed by robots be cause robots do not get tired, robots do not lose focus and robots do not bleed. Off-loading mundane and dan gerous tasks onto robots allowed Geronimo to amplify the effects of its skillset by augmenting decisive opera tions with more humans who would otherwise be blocking road intersec tions or facing increased risk and po tentially high casualty rates while con ducting route reconnaissance. Increased human survivability Regarding tactical risk, Project Origin continues to demonstrate that un manned systems increase Soldier sur vivability through the use of telepres ence. Geronimo was able to effective ly operate the Project Origin systems at a distance and produce many of the same operational results with a frac tion of the typical casualties. “With these units, the human surviv ability rate increases significantly,” ex plained SFC Eugene Lackey (Pathfinder Company). “This system allowed us to close with and destroy the enemy safely from a distance. It [also en abled] us to the find the enemy before he could find us. It is a great tool, and I wish we could have it for little bit lon ger to really see how we can change the way wars are fought.” Project Origin will continue to develop the future of unmanned systems through the voice of the Soldier to facilitate the integration of unmanned systems into the Army. JRTC Rotation 21-10 was a historic landmark in the Army’s RCV campaign of learning. The feedback from Geronimo Soldiers and leaders, coupled with the terabytes of technical data, provided the Army with a multi faceted body of knowledge. The JRTC “acid test” identified issues that would potentially have gone unnoticed until larger experiments occurred, sched uled to begin in July 2022. The Army now has the opportunity to address these issues and provide future operators with reliable and effective equipment capable of achieving the Army’s 2035 modernization goals. Further, Project Origin and Geronimo provided the Army with a preview of future operating environments so that the Army can understand how to fight and win in these environments during peacetime, as opposed to developing these concepts during a time of con flict. MAJ Cory Wallace is the requirements lead for the RCV, assigned to NGCV-CFT at Detroit Arsenal, MI. An Armor officer, his previous assignments include squadron executive officer, 3rd Squadron, 3rd Cavalry Regiment, Fort Hood, TX; squadron S-3, 3/3 Cavalry Regiment, Fort Hood; G-35 planner, Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood; and doctrine reviewer, Combined Arms Doctrine Directorate, Combined Arms Center, Fort Leavenworth, KS. MAJ Wallace’s military schooling includes Command and General Staff College. He earned a bachelor’s of arts degree in literature from the U. S. Military Academy, a master’s degree in litera ture from the University of Washing ton and a master’s degree in supply-chain management from the University of Kansas. His awards and honors include the Bronze Star Medal with two oak-leaf clusters (OLCs) and a Meritorious Service Medal with one

OLC.

MAJ Dan Groller is the science and technology adviser for the RCV and is assigned to DEVCOM’s GVSC at Detroit Arsenal. Commissioned as a military-police officer, his previous assignments have included assistant product manager, Product Manager-Abrams Tank Systems, Program Executive Office Ground Combat Systems, Detroit Arsenal; commander, Clarion Recruiting Company, Clarion, PA; commander, 58th Military Police Company, Schofield Figure 3. A project officer talks with Soldiers at Fort Polk about the RCV. Soldier feedback is vital to Project Origin. (U. S. Army photo)

Barracks, HI; and aide-de-camp to the deputy commanding general, 1st Armored Division, Wiesbaden, Germany. MAJ Groller holds a master’s of arts degree in business and organizational-security management from Webster University. His awards and honors include two Bronze Star Medals, four Meritorious Service Medals, 2015 General Douglas MacArthur Leadership Award and Order of Saint George Bronze Medal. MAJ Groller was recent ly selected for an interservice transfer to the Space Force as an acquisition professional. Todd Willert, a retired Special Forces major (NH3), is project manager for the Origin program, GVSC (ground-vehicle robotics) at Detroit Arsenal, Warren, MI. He leads a team of govern ment engineers and industry partners to integrate new technology and au tonomous behaviors onto an un manned system and to conduct Soldier operational experiments across the Army. Previous jobs include science and technology adviser, GVSC, Detroit Arsenal; assistant product manager, man-transportable robotic systems, Selfridge Air National Guard Base, MI; chief, Soldier Systems Branch, U. S. Army Special Forces Command, Fort Bragg, NC; and commander, Special Forces Detachment, Fort Bragg. He has a bachelor’s of science degree in health science from Campbell University and a master’s of arts degree in procurement and acquisition management. His awards and honors include the Bronze Star Medal (two OLCs) and Meritorious Service Medal (six OLCs). DEVCOM – Development Command GVSC – Ground Vehicle Systems Center HLZ – helicopter-landing zone JRTC – Joint Readiness Training Center NGCV-CFT – Next-Generation Combat Vehicles Cross-Functional Team OLC – oak-leaf cluster RAS – robotic and autonomous system RCV – Robotic Combat Vehicle TTP – tactics, techniques and procedure Acronym Quick-Scan