By Kris Osborn, President, Center for Military Modernization
(Washington D.C.) A small, fast, dismounted Special Operations Reconnaissance team conducting a clandestine scouting or surveillance mission in high risk territory behind enemy lines requires long-range, high-fidelity sensors which, more than almost anything else, need to be small, compact and lightweight. Not only that, but they need to increasingly use computer automation and programming to perform a greater range of sensing and data analysis functions without requiring as much human intervention.
Special Operations Teams
Perhaps a soldier or SOF member could discern enemy communications systems, deconflict elements of the spectrum and isolate a high-interest threat signal using a wrist-worn watch-EW sensor. In this case, a small, dismounted unit might be able to quietly, yet efficiently find and “jam” enemy radios without giving away its location. A EW sensor can do this and, when enabled by AI and high-speed computing, some of them can deconflict different frequencies in the spectrum and isolate or identify critical threats. More broadly, such a sensor can operate as a forward point of data collection in support of an integrated, larger ISR operation.
Video Above: Attack Robots, Autonomous Weapons, Drones & the Future of AI
One industry innovator is a small firm called Boldend who has partnered with MAG Aerospace to test cutting edge software and hardware technologies designed to perform critical computing, sensing and data collection functions in a much smaller form factor.
ISR Platforms
“ISR platforms are typically outfitted with very sophisticated systems that vary in size, weight, and power as well as, the addition of a highly talented sensor operator, that may not be feasible for ground force use. Boldend has combined systems and sensor operators into code to affect a much wider space on the battlefield. We do this through operator input on design and commercial software development best practices to deliver products with minimal size, weight, and power without the need for human input during a mission. Imagine if every operator was a sensor.” Jon Steinbach, Boldened, told Warrior in an interview.
This small form-factor sensing is enabled by computer innovations which streamline data-collection and analysis functionality without needing to rely upon a large operating system. A small cyber company called Boldend is pioneering this kind of application, using microcontrollers on a board that performs most of the functions of the devices that are plugged into it. Described by developers as a tiny chip that goes on a board, microcontrollers can increase speed while reducing errors and reliability risks. With this, otherwise disparate ISR functions or streams of incoming data can be integrated and analyzed in relation to one another in support of mission objectives.
Hardware and Software
“We built out our own real time operating system to leverage microcontrollers. Our proprietary methods enable increased speed and resiliency unlike the current products in use today,” Steinbach explained.
Larger operating systems like windows or linux, by contrast, can impede or complicate this kind of fluid functionality and encounter interoperability problems
“They (larger operating systems) are heavy and bloated which, eats into system resources and increases the system’s size, weight, and power requirements. Additionally, when you implement functionality such as other plugins into these larger operating systems, you run into compatibility challenges. This requires troubleshooting. We handle all that same functionality without having to use large windows a traditional operating system,” he added.
Along with being able to reduce the hardware footprint and streamline interoperability through blending commercial software and hardware, Boldend’s approach also leverages computer automation and machine learning algorithms to analyze collected data with the ability to perform critical functions without requiring human intervention. This eases the cognitive burden, as it is called, and enables human decision-makers to focus on higher priority missions while a sensor collects and organizes critical data, perhaps even analyzing data at the edge closer to where the sensor collected the information. perhaps even performing some of the needed analytics at the point of collection of networking relevant data as a node across a larger network.
“We’ve asked ourselves, what is the information we want to gain from these sensors and allow those sensors to operate independently from the end user by structuring it prior to mission and letting run autonomously. This enables the operator to be a digital collector while focusing on other mission critical functions,” Steinbach explained.
Not only does a smaller form factor for sensing and data processing enable greater combat mobility for dismounted units by virtue of being more compact and lighter weight, but it also emits a smaller electronic “signature,” meaning it is less detectable by an adversary. Small form factor sensors the size of a watch, for instance, can perform RF or EW sensing operations without necessarily giving away its location in the way a large antenna, camera or sensor “box” to collect and analyze incoming signals would.
Boldend says the software can run on almost any kind of hardware, to include a 2-inch-by-2-inch watch, or small piece of hardware on a larger platform such as a robot, vehicle or drone.
“What we’ve been able to do is leverage our software in almost any type of hardware component. Considering, the hardware’s optimal size, weight and power. We automate capabilities and make software work on a smaller form factor,” Steinbach said.
Video Above: Lieutenant General, Thomas Todd – Chief Innovation Officer of Army Futures Command sits down for an exclusive interview with Kris Osborn.
Boldend’s partnership with MAG is designed to help develop, test and fast-track the technology to a point where it can support the US military services at the pace of need. Many traditional government acquisition programs can be encumbered by bureaucratic obstacles or time delays which complicate any effort to keep pace with technological change.
““MAG designs solutions at the speed of mission need- we do this by engaging with “non-traditional contractors” to deliver the products and services necessary to maintain our technological edge supporting national security. Boldend provides us that advantage for our customers when it comes to Electronic Warfare and Cyber capabilities.” Matt Bartlett, President, MAG Aerospace, told Warrior in an interview.
Kris Osborn is the Military Affairs Editor of 19FortyFive and President of Warrior Maven – Center for Military Modernization. Osborn previously served at the Pentagon as a Highly Qualified Expert with the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army—Acquisition, Logistics & Technology. Osborn has also worked as an anchor and on-air military specialist at national TV networks. He has appeared as a guest military expert on Fox News, MSNBC, The Military Channel, and The History Channel. He also has a Masters Degree in Comparative Literature from Columbia University.
