US Army leaders are looking at different autonomous launchers as they eye a possible prototyping competition and grapple with the right mix of crewed and uncrewed systems for the future force, according to a one-star general helping to lead the charge.<\/p>\n
After a series of\u00a0studies and projections into surface-to-surface fire threats through 2035, the service believes it is facing \u201cdeficits\u201d in three categories \u2014 range, capacity, and survivability \u2014 if it doesn\u2019t \u201crectify our course,\u201d said Long-Range Precision Fires Cross-Functional Team leader Brig. Gen. Rory Crooks.<\/p>\n
\u201cOnce we achieve that local fire superiority with surface-to-surface [and] surface-to-air, then we can set the right conditions to bring in our air component,\u201d Crooks later added.<\/p>\n
But to achieve that vision and address those perceived deficits, the service has devised a three-pronged approach: ammunition innovation; scaling\u00a0launched effects\u00a0plans; and\u00a0introducing \u201cmature or existing platforms\u201d and augmenting them with autonomous systems.<\/p>\n
Work on all three lines of effort are underway, and for that third bucket, it includes penning new requirements for autonomous launchers that could lead to an eventual prototyping competition.<\/p>\n
That potential move comes as the Army\u2019s Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM) has spent years\u00a0developing<\/a>\u00a0its own Autonomous Multi-domain Launcher (AML), an uncrewed M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System. But as an internal development effort, the command is not in a position to produce enough AMLs for soldiers to test out and feed the requirements and acquisition decision cycle.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t see DEVCOM as being the way to introduce larger numbers into formations shortly: That will be how we leverage industry,\u201d Crooks said. \u201cBut it starts with refining that requirement, which we\u2019re in the process of [doing].\u201d<\/p>\n