Army selects companies for experimental infantry technology

The Army has funded five companies to develop prototypes of robotic and artificial intelligence technologies that could make dismounted infantry platoons 10 times more effective, the service announced July 21.

"Modeling and simulation based on these 10x technologies demonstrated that adding robotic and AI capabilities to a 40-soldier infantry platoon could allow the platoon to operate over the same time and space as a current 600-soldier infantry battalion," an Army press release stated.

The Army's Maneuver Capabilities Development and Integration Directorate and the Ground Vehicle Systems Center selected five companies to build prototypes, according to the press release: Neya Systems, Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control, Scientific Systems Co., Bounce Imaging and Persistent Systems.

The Georgia Tech Research Institute will integrate technologies from the companies into a system of systems, which will lead to a demonstration at Project Convergence 22 in October 2022.

The Army will fund the prototypes through its other transaction authority with the National Advanced Mobility Consortium.