US Army soldiers simulated an intensive urban assault against a formidable peer adversary during a large-scale training exercise at Fort Irwin in California, integrating new technologies like drones and software while testing traditional warfighting skills (Business Insider). Close to 10,000 soldiers gathered for the Army’s Project Convergence Capstone exercise this summer to experiment with new weapons and technology across the hot, dusty Mojave Desert (Yahoo News).
US Army Tests New Technology and Tactics During Exercise at Fort Irwin
Enemy forces during the simulation consisted of troops from Irwin’s 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, also known as “Blackhorse.” Assault forces prepared to storm the enemy stronghold by gathering on the northern edge and navigating barbed wire, cars, and concrete blocks designed to slow down their advance.
Navigating the Sprawling Training City of Razish
The simulated urban environment, designated by the Army as Razish, featured a sprawling layout complete with winding streets, buildings of varying heights, underground tunnels, and hidden positions. Key objectives for the assault forces at the center of the city included a jail and a large palace. Soldiers occupied positions across rooftops to provide cover fire, as well as alleyways and windows.
Throughout the exercise, troops cleared areas of the city systematically while grappling with the effects of the desert heat on themselves and their equipment. Even during quieter moments, distant bursts of gunfire echoed as soldiers on rooftops and in windows peeked up, aimed, fired their weapons, and ducked back down. “Killed” participants were instructed to stop fighting and remain seated or standing in place.
Integration of Drones and Uncrewed Systems
Drones and new software played a significant role during the operations, though officials emphasized that basic combat skills remained central to the mission. A little over an hour before assault forces breached the training city, Blackhorse drones flew overhead to scout the area. Inside a building, a unit commander asked a drone operator utilizing a Black Widow quadcopter to assess vehicles pushing into the city.
The Black Widow quadcopter could fly up to four kilometers away, extending the unit’s visibility beyond ground-level sightlines. I’m able to find with my UAS [uncrewed aerial system], I’m able to fix with fires, and then I finish with my AT [anti-tank] weapons systems,
said Capt. Mohamed Elmaola with the 4th Infantry Division (Business Insider).
While remotely piloted uncrewed aircraft proved advantageous for early surveillance operations, their usage shifted as the exercise progressed. Once fighting moved directly into the city, drones were used only sparingly to occasionally scout positions, terrain, and movement. Additionally, an uncrewed ground vehicle called the NOMAD was deployed outside city limits earlier in the morning but did not see action in the actual assault.
Balancing Technology and Effective Training
Brig. Gen. Daniel Hibner, head of the Army Joint Modernization Command, addressed the challenges of introducing new equipment during training exercises. What we really want to be able to do is not just saturate the environment with a bunch of technology
because that becomes so distracting
that soldiers cannot train efficiently and effectively, Hibner explained (Business Insider).
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