Hundreds of British soldiers are currently in the US to participate in a “major warfighting experiment” in preparation for the future of warfare.
Part of Project Convergence Capstone 4 (PC-C4), the event will help define how UK troops can effectively fight in a multi-domain battlespace.
It will also reportedly help the British Army become more lethal on the battlefield by reducing reaction time and complications when responding to emerging threats.
According to the service, the experiment involves using cutting-edge platforms, such as drones and autonomous vehicles equipped with machine guns “to win on future battlefields.”
Some of the technologies are also reportedly deployed for the first time on the ground to help “shape the British Army of 2030.”
Exploring Network of Information Systems
In addition to autonomous platforms, the warfighting experiment deploys a network of information systems to assess its role on the modern battlefield.
The British Army acknowledged the vast amount of data present in today’s warfare and the potential danger of being unable to process them properly.
“If the vast amounts of data flying around are not properly processed, commanders cannot make sense of the battlefield or make the decisions needed to defeat the enemy,” the service stated.
According to a participant, the experiment has so far allowed military units to effectively move data for the first time in an operational scenario and “at a magnitude never seen before.”
All About Winning
The British Army has sent its 1 Deep Recce Strike Brigade Combat Team (1 DRS BCT) to lead its contingent in the warfighting experiment in California.
Commander Neil Budd said the activity allows UK troops to adapt in step with emerging threats.
It is also “enabling us to develop and test new capabilities, taking advantage of new technologies and concepts that will ensure we are more lethal and net contributors to a multi-national fight.”
“It is about winning,” he stressed.
The experiment will run through March 20.