Lockheed Martin’s autonomous driving system recently logged more than 55,000 miles of extended testing during a military exercise, demonstrating its potential to reduce manpower required for convoys.
The U.S. Army’s Extended Warfighter Experiment (EWE) at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri and Fort Bliss in Texas was the venue for the extended test of Lockheed’s Autonomous Mobility Applique System (AMAS).
Using sensors, actuators, and controls that can be installed on any wheeled military tactical vehicle, the applique kit features driver warnings and driver assist features. Additionally, a Palletized Loading System enables a vehicle driven by a human to lead three or four autonomous vehicles following behind in a convoy.
“The testing was conducted by soldiers and Lockheed Martin personnel over several months at two major military installations in a variety of mission scenarios,” Kathryn Hasse, the combat maneuver systems director at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control, said. “Soldiers operating the AMAS vehicles provided us very positive feedback about how the system freed them up to do the job of a soldier instead of the job of a truck driver.”
In addition to requiring less manpower in military convoys, AMAS can also limit the exposure of soldiers to roadside improvised explosive devices and other threats.
“AMAS continues to prove itself as a valuable asset for our military by safely operating in complex environments,” Hasse said. “We believe that AMAS is ready to move forward toward the ultimate goal of widespread fielding across multiple military applications.”