The Back-Packable Robot: An Essential Part of the Squad
Advancements in technology and instances of warfare have always been strongly related. The use of Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGV’s) is a part of that evolution and UGVs have made huge evolutions in recent years with technological advances and continued development of applications on the modern battlefield.
This evolution will continue due to three key factors:
1. UGVs act as a force multiplier increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of a small unit of soldiers on any given mission.
2. They enhance the reach of military operations to previously inaccessible locations.
3. UGVs reduce human casualties by removing soldiers from hazardous situations.
Operations in built up areas have historically forced military planners to consider a higher casualty rate due to their nature. Counter-Insurgency campaigns in recent years have emphasized the importance of ‘removing the soldier’ from these multi-layered threat environments and have been a key driver in the rise and use of unmanned systems. Simplistically, robots put distance between a threat and soldiers, minimizing casualties and providing a stand-off intelligence gathering capability. However, operations in built up areas can severely limit and hamper the mobility of larger UGVs – An echo of the historical problems armored vehicles have historically had in such environments. Accordingly, smaller size UGVs like the packable robot have become essential in providing critical support for surveillance and target acquisition in ground-based operations.
The use and utility of small UGVs was publicly seen as they were deployed as a search tool in New York following the 9/11 attacks. Subsequently, they would go on to conduct searches of caves and bunkers in Afghanistan as well as counter the ever present IED threat both there and in Iraq.
It was due in no small part to these experiences, that the need for even smaller UGVs which could gain access to spaces that would otherwise put soldiers at risk, fueled the rise of the packable robot. In addition, innovation and miniaturization of hardware and sensors and more sophisticated onboard computing played a major role.
Small UGV’s are perfectly equipped to integrate with the fast pace of modern-day operations without slowing down soldiers or hampering tactical movements. As a robust and reliable mobile platform, equipped with different sensors and payloads, they are easily carried by dismounted troops and deployed quickly. On the field, their small size enables operations where other robots cannot normally fit or maneuver, coupled with being resistant to dust, water and impact shocks. The packable robot can work in a variety of harsh environments and achieve their aims such as searching the undersides of vehicles in search of IEDs, suspicious packages and hidden triggering devices, all accomplished while relaying real-time video, audio and sensor data to the operator at a safe distance.
The shift towards UGV’s, is inevitable, and many militaries are at different stages of adoption and development; envision differing uses for such platforms. According to the new market research report on "Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGV) Market - Global Forecast to 2025", published by MarketsandMarkets™, the Unmanned Ground Vehicles Market is projected to grow from USD 2.7 billion in 2018 to USD 7.0 billion by 2025, at a CAGR of 14.81% from 2018 to 2025. Funds for acquiring this type of equipment are already allocated in many governments budget for short and long-term military programmes. Factors, such as the need for increasing operational efficiency, reducing human casualties, and the growth in terrorist activities around the world are expected to drive the market. The emergence of new threats necessitates advancement in the means and techniques of warfare and with it the development of more advanced UGVs.
Specific missions will require specific types of UGV platforms varying in terms of weight, size and the level of artificial intelligence and automation. As such, the U.S. Army Robotics and Autonomous Systems (RAS) strategy aims to upgrade its ground robotics platforms and common control systems for unmanned systems. At the center of this strategy is the packable robot segment; with the launch of the ‘Common Robotic System-Individual CRS (I), the Army's first small-sized robotic program. According to US Army specifications, the CRS (I) robot is fitted with advanced sensors and mission modules to support dismounted forces. Weighing in at less than 28lb, the lightweight robot system can easily be carried in a backpack. In addition, the robot features an interoperability profile with an open architecture that enables it to support different payloads for multiple mission types
In March 2019, the U.S Army selected QinetiQ North America’s (QNA) ‘Squad Packable Utility Robot (SPUR)’ as the winner of its CRS (I) program. This significant win for packable robots builds on QNA’s other contract awards in the field of unmanned ground robotics such as the TALON series of robots used world-wide in roles such as counter-IED.
Packable robots such as SPUR can be easily controlled by a Universal Controller (UC) allowing the operator to control other mobile unmanned platforms using the same control interface. The universal controller is an attempt to counter the training and logistical burdens associated with deploying a variety of small, unmanned systems built by different manufacturers. Having a UC is a game changer for unmanned systems; by allowing a soldier to control different systems, smaller units at the lowest tactical level can now benefit from the use of several unmanned systems. Moreover, it will reduce training time, cost and the number of operators needed on a given mission; therefore, making trained staff more versatile across unmanned systems. More importantly, the UC interface and actual controller must be intuitive and easy to operate; as soldiers at the squad level are not engineers; and for packable robots in specific there must be synergy between the robot and its operator in the field.
Among the long list of countries that are funding UGV research programmes is the UK. Via its Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL) the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) has allocated £66 million in funding to accelerate robotic projects. In April 2019, the MOD launched a Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) competition for the development of semi-autonomous forward reconnaissance systems controlled from manned mobile assets classed as Manned-Unmanned Teaming (MUM-T) and builds upon previous programmes such as the ‘Last Mile Resupply’ Programme, a programme to prove the value of UGV’s as logistical assets on the battlefield.
MUM-T is another important topic that surfaces when talking about UGVs. Effective integration of man and machine as a team allows forces to learn, adapt, fight and win with increasing confidence. This is particularly visible at the squad level as use of UGVs in support operations, particularly in places like Iraq and Afghanistan, has significantly reduced the number of casualties, especially in relation to attacks with the use of IEDs.
Introduction of remotely controlled robots at the squad level changes the way a squad operates. Military planners must now take into account the use of robotic assets earlier during the mission planning, brief, rehearsal phase. Moreover, it also changes the dynamics within a squad by assigning the task of operating the robot to one of the current squad members, one firing arc is no longer covered by the robot operator; in trade for added situational awareness.
The packable robot is useful in the pre-engagement phase rather than during an actual engagement with the enemy. Users of packable robots must realize that in the field their robots’ main task is removing soldiers from harm’s way. Hence, once the enemy is engaged, the robot might be deemed unrecoverable or may have to be left behind; as it is infinitely preferable to have to replace a robot than to lose a soldier.
In conclusion, dozens of future scenarios exist where we can see the use of deployment of UGVs in modern warfare. UGVs increasingly supporting ground operations will continue with new advances in technology, particularly in tight urban combat environments where UGVs such as the packable robot are ideal for removing ordnance, clearing rooms and buildings. Even though unmanned platforms can greatly increase the effectiveness of soldiers on the modern battlefield and reduce human loss, robots will not eliminate the human factor from the battlefield but rather integrate with humans and become an essential part of the squad.
