The US Army is studying how soldiers will use a range of new ground and aerial drones in combat, and is embarking on a multi-stage plan aimed at creating a new human-machine integrated Formation (HMIF) in 2027.
Details of the HMIF plan
- Objective: HMIF is designed to integrate robotic systems into combat units in order to ensure initial contact with the enemy not by soldiers, but by robots.
- First stage (2024-2027): Development of a common controller for ground and aerial drones. Soldiers will use drones in a limited mode, for example, for reconnaissance missions.
- Phase Two (2027-2029): Adding additional autonomous capabilities to ground vehicles, which will reduce the number of soldiers needed to control them and allow them to be used for attacks and fire suppression.
- Third phase (2028-2030): Expansion of missions to attack and infiltration operations, as well as autonomous support and tactical maneuvering.
Significance for the US Army
HMIF is part of a broader U.S. Army effort to integrate robotics and autonomous systems into combat units. This will allow soldiers to focus on tasks that require human intervention, while robots will perform more risky and routine functions.
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| Employees of the US Army's DEVCOM C5ISR Center demonstrate their technologies during the Sandhills project in December 2023. (US Army /Don Lafontaine) |
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