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by Maj Buckland RM, Nottingham Det

The nature of conflict is forever changing how quickly we must adapt to emerging threats to maintain the pace of relevance. Our Commando mindset is more valuable than ever as we aim to be the first to understand, the first to adapt and respond, and, most importantly, the first to overcome these complex challenges. I was recently able to witness this ethos being applied on Maritime Autonomous Experiment 1.0 (MAX 1.0) and Autonomous Advance Force 6.0 (AAF 6.0). For three weeks in March a team of reservists from RMR Merseyside based themselves out of RNAS Culdrose in support of this defence-leading trials and experimentation exercise. The purpose of the trials was to test, evaluate and integrate autonomous systems and new Dismounted Close Combat equipment whilst beginning to layer them onto the end user, a Commando Strike Team.

The format of the exercise was a week of initial integration followed by two weeks of trials. Flight tests were conducted on a variety of platforms that can deliver vital capabilities to a Strike Team forward deployed in hostile environments. The platforms being operated offer the Strike Team enhanced situational awareness which all contributes to making the team more lethal and agile in their decision-making.

Autonomous FIND systems have been around for a while, including those operated by 700X based at Culdrose. However, the new variants incorporate additional hardware and software to increase survivability and lethality, whilst decreasing the cognitive load on the operator. Alongside FIND, the new kids on the block are platforms that deliver LIFT. The family of platforms can carry significant payloads and can fly alone or even in a swarm from one location to another, both on land and in the maritime, and either landing or jettisoning their payload at low height before returning to their point of origin or a different location – fully autonomously. They offer the potential to resupply a fighting echelon without putting expensive airframes and crew at unnecessary risk.

The exercise highlight and main effort was to conduct an autonomous heavy-lift ship-to-shore resupply, then recover the platform back to the ship it originated from – a world first for a platform of this category.

The future is catching up with us and the ‘PlayStation generation’ will find a lot of crossovers with the skills they bring when they join the Corps. We have exciting new technology inbound which can be easily carried on the individual and as a member of the reserve forces, I would encourage other reservists from both the dark blue and Lovat side to consider supporting trials exercises like this. Our variety of backgrounds only adds to the culturally competent nature of the Royal Navy and myself and my team were made to feel incredibly welcomed. As the Corps continues down this uncharted path, our different perspectives and opinions were appreciated more than we could have known.

Sgt Taylor, Leeds Det

On an overcast and windy airfield in rural Cornwall, members of the RMR were asked if we could assist with a trial involving a drone flying from a RN ship with a large payload. We were keen to be involved and had met with the team for familiarisation a few days prior to

understand the risks of working around these particular drones. Some of the reservists were well acquainted with drones through use in either their personal or civilian professional lives. We were soon introduced to a drone the size of a Mini Cooper, not a cybernetic organism sent from the future to kill us all. We were, however, helpfully advised to be careful as the carbon-fibre blades could easily cut us in half!

We soon learned that due to the distance of the flight, a battery change would be needed. This meant someone would need to walk between the blades to ensure the drone was fully isolated. We were assured that this was perfectly safe, however we were less convinced when the blades twitched when the isolation switches were deactivated as part of its start-up procedures!

This prompted us to produce some basic SOPs from the point of view of the dismounted troop on the ground to ensure that the drone was ‘made safe’ while the payload was recovered and fresh batteries installed. A willing volunteer was ‘voluntold’ they had the honour of potentially becoming twins. We then rehearsed this process repeatedly!

The following day, we confidently approached the drone after it had successfully flown ashore and set about recovering the payload which happened to be the unimaginative yet vital requirement of multiple large jerry cans of water. With batteries replaced, all limbs intact, the drone autonomously returned successfully to its ship of origin marking the first successful ship-to-shore flight of a drone conducted by any military in the world.

Image: The Malloy family of Drones

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