Army wargame to test cargo drones and live logistics data

In a future war, Army tanks growling around the battlefield may be able to send live data back to their headquarters showing every time they fire a round or burn a gallon of fuel.

Using that data, logisticians back at the base might then send swarms of drones buzzing back to the tanks with new ammo, or guide fleets of drone boats laden with fuel to a beach somewhere. 

None of these ideas is ready for prime time yet — but the Army will test all three at Project Convergence this spring, according to Brig. Gen. Shane Upton, commander of the Contested Logistics Cross-Functional Team. Upton spoke to Defense One on the sidelines of the recent AUSA conference.

Some of the work, like the tank-ammo project, consists of updating logistics for the modern era. 

Historically, Upton said, logisticians typically receive radio reports from units about how many rounds they have left, then add those numbers to an enormous spreadsheet by midnight each day. 

But that method is not flawless. A typing error could change 20 rounds to 200, he said. With logistics data updated only every 24 hours, meanwhile, a commander may make unrealistic plans based on a faulty understanding of their logistics. 

If soldiers in the tank can reliably send the data directly back to headquarters, by contrast, logisticians can keep a closer eye on usage rates and prioritize resupply missions. Commanders will also have an up-to-the-minute understanding of their forces’ readiness. 

For the upcoming Project Convergence, the starting objective will be to transfer shell and fuel consumption data while the tank is stopped, with a “stretch” goal of transferring data when it’s on the move, Upton said. 

Other technologies the team is prepping for Project Convergence aren’t just updates, but entirely new ways of doing logistics. 

During the event, the team will test two heavy cargo drones capable of carrying 1,000 pounds or more up to 250 nautical miles. The aim of such drones is to deliver multiple artillery shells or precision munitions to troops, all without risking the lives of pilots who would otherwise be tasked with ferrying in munitions by plane or helicopter.

The Marine Corps, which already fields a small resupply drone, is also testing options from Leidos and Kaman for a heavier-lift drone in the ranges Upton outlined. 

Under an “aggressive” schedule, that type of heavy-lift drone could be fielded to its first unit by 2030, Upton said, though that would require many more Army organizations than Army Futures Command to achieve. 

A smaller drone capable of lifting 150 pounds might be fielded to some units of the Army’s “transformation-in-contact” modernization program by 2026, Upton said. 

The team will also test autonomous resupply boats that the Navy has already experimented with, Upton said. The Army wants the systems to be relatively cheap so it can send “hundreds” to the field, allowing them to disperse widely, which will make them harder for an enemy to strike. 

Other tech is also in the works, even if the Army isn’t ready to pull the trigger on it yet. 

The service is watching how Ukraine is using drones for casualty evacuation, he said, and while Army discussions about implementing similar practices are “pre-decisional,” he called Ukraine’s efforts “very ingenious.” 

The Army is also looking into better ways to supply troops with energy, but Upton noted numerous problems with existing tech even as troops rely on more and more powered tools, from drones to directed energy.  

Solar panels could offer frontline troops easy charging options, for example, but could be just as difficult to move as a towed generator, he said. Hydrogen-powered fuel cells or even small nuclear energy could help power bases, meanwhile, but both come with a host of policy, safety, and other problems. 

Still, Upton was optimistic. “I think there's a lot of movement that's got to happen in the [power-generation] space,” he said.