A New Military Revolution in the US and the role of DARPA

The Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency or DARPA is the main agency of the United States and is responsible for the development of emerging technologies to be used by the US military. Established in 1958 in retaliation to the launch of Sputnik by the Soviet Union during the cold war, it has produced a massive amount of military technology over the past sixty years. For the first few years of its inception, its research focused on space research, ballistic defence and nuclear test detection. Not to mention it also created the internet. During this time, it was known as the Advanced Research Projects Agency. This was prior to the establishment of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) by the US government and therefore it was the sole agency focusing on all research related to both space and defence. Once the agency was renamed DARPA in 1972 it undertook development projects concerning purely military technology.

From research into anti-submarine warfare in the early 70s to precision-guided munitions and laser communications between aircrafts, space platforms and submarines in the late 70s, DARPA slowly diversified its research based on emerging security trends. Since then the projects developed by the military has served to begin a revolutionization of military technology. As of today, most of this technology has served to enhance the capability of the US military. The search for more advanced warfare has led to the emergence of such weapons that could never have been envisaged just a few decades ago. From unmanned aerial vehicles to data encryption frameworks and advanced research in prosthetics, DARPA has surged ahead in its military research and modernization.

Revolutionizing the armed forces as has already been highlighted above has given rise to disruptive technologies and all countries on the path of military enhancement have sought to acquire such technologies. The US Army Research Lab recently initiated a program which involved a group of military strategists and researchers in an attempt to anticipate disruptions by technological revolutions in the future. The aim of this program was tactical level land warfare in 2050. Seemingly all research wings of the US are working towards this goal through the clear increase in defence spending by the government over the past few years. President Donald Trump has proposed a 0.3% increase to USD 740.5 billion in military spending with an emphasis on high-tech defence capability research. The US has already reached a stage of advancement that is superior to all other countries and yet it refuses to stop. In fact, defence spending has only seen a gradual increase. According to a report on breakthrough technologies for national security by DARPA, it has acknowledged the strong position that America is at and yet emphasizes the need “to look beyond the reality of today and focus on the potential of the future”.

Since this report in 2015, the agency has seemingly accelerated its research initiatives. Its budget increased from $2.9 Billion in FY 2015 to $3.4 Billion in FY 2019 and is equal to nearly 25% of the Department of Defence’s total science and technology funding. Its progress today focuses on seven key aspects of the US Defence and other military technologies i.e. the information domain, electromagnetic spectrum, the army, the navy, the air force, space and prosthetics. Below listed are those advancements in military technology by DARPA which could and seemingly will radically transform modern warfare. These include advancement in military coordination, space initiatives and soldier functionality.

SPACE AND AERIAL ADVANCEMENTS

Blackjack

The Blackjack program is an initiative of DARPA to develop a global high-speed network in Low Earth Orbit that will provide the US armed forces with highly connected, persistent and resilient coverage. It aims to develop a payload and mission level autonomy software and demonstrate autonomous orbital operations for advanced commercial manufacturing for military payloads and spacecraft bus. Through the mass production of small satellites, DARPA will develop mesh networks of low-cost satellites. It will then employ commercially modified buses to gain technical advantage and enable a wide range of military missions. This program has been initiated to provide global connectivity through smaller instead of exquisite systems.

Experimental Spaceplane

DARPA aims to build a new class of hyper sonic aircraft that would provide short notice, low-cost access to space through this program. This program aims to develop the capability to launch low earth orbit satellites within days rather than the months and years it normally takes. If successful the Space plane will have the ability to carry 3000-5000 lb payload to LEO for less than a cost of $5 million per flight. DARPA aims to develop this Space plane to have an ability to fly at Mach 10 (12,250 km/h). It has been designed to also have the capability of being reused with a proposed launch rate of 10 one—day missions in just 10 days. Test flights have been scheduled for 2020.

Hallmark

The Hallmark program seeks to develop tools and technologies to plan, asses and execute military operations in space. Through a combination of well-established research methods for assessing situational understanding and awareness along with qualitative and quantitative data collection, the program seeks to create a more efficient and effective human decision-maker with respect to space battle management command and control. The program will also provide a full spectrum of real-time space-domain systems and capabilities to help address technical and strategic challenges. DARPA’s Hallmark program is an attempt to acquire the ability to model current and future space situational awareness, command and control tools, capabilities, systems as well as external interfaces to cyber, land, air and maritime environments.

Adaptable Lighter Than Air (ALTA)

This program is aimed at developing a high altitude lighter than air vehicle capable of long-range wind-borne navigation. The balloons can fly at altitudes of more than 75000 feet. This has been intended to provide real-time stratospheric wind measurements. The utility of such a vehicle depends greatly on cost and payload but it is assumed that the ALTA will be used not only for gauging weather patterns but also carry payloads such as sensors that will transmit information back to command.

Small Satellite Sensors and Space Enabled Effects for Military Engagements (SeeMe)

The Space Enabled Effects for Military program is aimed at providing US war fighters access to on-demand, space-based tactical information in conditions which hinder a units knowledge of its whereabouts. The success of this program will guarantee small squads and individual teams the ability to receive imagery of their location directly for a small satellite. The SeeMe program will develop a constellation of small “disposable” satellites which will transmit data to the military unit within 90 minutes. This will enhance the capability of the US military imagery in real-time war zones and be an adjunct to unmanned aerial vehicle technology. UAVs provide very high-resolution coverage but cannot cover extended areas without refuelling. The SeeMe program will therefore serve to negate these hurdles

Falcon Hypersonic Technology Vehicle-2

This program is aimed at developing a hypersonic glide vehicle capable of flying at Mach 17.5 or 13000 m/ph. Falcon HTV-2 is an unmanned, rocket-launched, manoeuvrable aircraft which will help DARPA achieve mastery in three key areas- Aerodynamic; Aerothermal effects; and critical guidance, navigation and control. This new technology would provide the US pentagon with a hypersonic vehicle capable of delivering military payloads anywhere in the world in under an hour. The HTV-2 program was not able to sustain itself after the exterior of the vehicles launched suffered irreparable damage. However, NASA will be initiating other programs with enhanced capabilities soon.

UAV’s, Gremlins and ACTUV

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles have for years assisted the US military in a multitude of operations whether intelligence, surveillance, battle damage assessment, ground or maritime support or aerial strikes. DARPA has launched multiple UAVs that are already in use today from the production of Nano Air vehicles featuring wingspans of just six inches to Unmanned Combat Air systems such as the Navy’s X-47B for Carrier operations. DARPA has also developed the A-160 a high-speed unmanned helicopter that flew 18.7 hours and proved to be a massive advancement in endurance. UAVs are set to only advance further in the coming years, with demands for lighter, faster and higher endurance. DARPA thus aims to develop technology related to air-breathing and non-airbreathing propulsion concepts, thermal management, advanced rotor innovations and advanced navigation. DARPA also envisions the development of an unmanned Vertical take-off and landing craft that can pick up, deliver and drop off modular payloads such as critical supplies, combat equipment and sensor packaging.

The Gremlins program is a program focused on developing swarms of UAVs built to perform multiple tasks from intelligence, surveillance, delivery of arms and other essential equipment in high-risk areas. It will also consist of a hard dock and recovery systems and will provide the US military with an edge in the growing Anti-Access/ Area Denial environment.

Building on the progress and success of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, DARPA has envisioned and created such capabilities for the US navy as well. The ACTUV or the Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) Continuous Trail Unmanned Vessel program has been developed in collaboration with the Office of Naval Research. This program is aimed at developing an unmanned vessel which could track quiet electric submarines. It shall act as both surveillance and warning crafts for the US navy.

MILITARY AND WEAPON SYSTEMS

Precision-Guided Munitions

Precision Guided Munitions and missiles provide the US Military with a strong non-nuclear advantage over enemy forces. With greater precision, munitions could be specifically directed at infrastructure, isolated forces, command and control centres, etc. DARPA has therefore developed through the 1980s and 90s a significant number of missile kits such as the Joint Direct Attack Munitions and the Tank Breaker program which developed Laser-Guided Javelin Missile Systems. It has also developed Advanced Medium Range Air to Air Missiles.

In collaboration with the Office of Naval Research, DARPA is developing and deploying Long Range Anti-Ship Missiles which are also precision-guided missiles designed to address the growing need for precision in the maritime sector. There are also ongoing programs for target-specific laser-guided precision missiles.

Active Denial System

The Joint Non-Lethal Weapons Program by the Department of Defence has led to the development of new non-lethal, directed energy weapons. It has been designed for security, crowd control and area denial and has been developed to be used in war zones, prisons and riots. This heat ray as it is called works by firing a high-powered microwave beam at its targets causing an excruciating amount of pain. Under the same mandate, another vehicle is being developed. This is a higher-powered ray gun and has the ability to stall cars and trucks. This program is one of many aimed at developing non-lethal weapons that serve to incapacitate an adversary’s technology and vehicular advances. It is believed that this system may also have the ability to stop or hinder the movement of drone swarms with pulses of energy.

Stealth Vehicles

Stealth vehicles have been developed in retaliation to developing threats to U.S. military superiority. With the development of radar-guided surface to air missiles and modern fighter aircraft, there came a threat to American air dominance. DARPA thus initiated a number of developmental strategies in achieving reduced radar detectability. In the 1970s the US developed Have Blue, the world’s first stealth combat air vehicle. This has led to the procurement and development of a number of other stealth vehicles such as the radar-equipped Tacit Blue, the B-2 stealth bomber and the experimental Sea Shadow stealth ship. In the face of other countries procuring such stealth vehicles, the US thus seeks to expand its arsenal capacity.

Imaging and Vision

DARPA has initiated the ITA3. Or Imaging Through Anything Anywhere program. This program is aimed at developing practical imaging capabilities through the use of ELF-VLF waves (up to 30kHz). These low frequencies can be used to penetrate ground, sea, fog, buildings etc., and can be measured using sensitive detector technologies.

DARPA has also developed infrared night vision technology through development in thermal imaging. While most others focus on image intensifiers that amplify a small amount of visible light, DARPA has invested in thermal imaging which provides vision in even no-light areas. However, DARPA no longer has the tactical advantage in this field and is seeking to address additional problems like obscured sight challenged in rough weather along with the need for a multi-band system that could combine the uses of different imaging devices into one.

Long Range Anti-Ship Missiles

The AGM-158 LRASM (Long Range Anti-Ship Missile) is a precision-guided, standoff missile developed by DARPA and the Office of Naval Research. This will provide an improved offensive anti-surface warfare capability to the armed forces. This semi-autonomous air-launched precision-guided anti-ship missile has been developed in the face of growing threats in anti-access/ area denial environments. It will provide and maintain the US navy’s operational capabilities in open oceans.

Adapting Cross-Domain Kill Webs (ACK)

This program aims at developing a common interface in order to assist military decision-making with identifying and selecting options for tasking and re-tasking. ACK will provide users with assistance in selecting effectors and support elements across military domains to form kill webs to deliver desired effects on targets. It will also create greater lethality through the pairing of military sensors, weapons and situations. The program will also act as an enabler for better coordination of activities and resources among the services and different domains. The Current use of manual processes to assess the availability and coordinate between communications and weapons by military units will be rendered obsolete through the implementation of this program.

SOLDIER ENHANCEMENTS AND SMART FORCES

A-Teams and OFFensive Swarm-Enabled Tactics (OFFSET)

DARPA envisions a future of kinetic, cyber, machine, intelligence and human forces working together as a team. The Agile Teams or A-Teams program sets out to discover and demonstrate mathematical methods to enable optimized designs for agile human-machine teams. It shall be an additional asset to the other advancing military command and control programs

In the face of the changing dynamics of warfare, DARPA has set out to modernize the US armed forces. It has begun programs aimed at achieving a technical advantage in any military operation. The OFFSET program aims to develop future small-unit infantry forces using swarms comprising around 250 plus small unmanned aircraft systems or small unmanned ground systems in carrying out a multitude of operations. Its main system architecture shall include an advanced human-swarm interface which would organize and monitor hundreds of unmanned platforms. It would also possess a real-time virtual environment, swarm tactics game where players would interact and evolve swarm tactics in a search for the most effective ones. In order to develop such an interface, it would compose of collective behaviours, swarm algorithms and even existing tactics. These developed tactics would then be supplied to the unmanned platforms with near-real-time tactics so as to provide an edge in military combat.

Squad X and Core Technologies

In order to counter modern military engagements that occur in complex and uncertain battlefield conditions, DARPA has initiated programs aimed at ensuring efficiency of military units. War fighters do not enjoy the effective multidomain defensive and offensive capabilities, unlike vehicle assigned forces. The Squad X seeks to overcome such challenges through development in precision engagement (non-line of sight targeting and guided munitions); Non-kinetic Engagement (Disruption of enemy command and control through the use of unmanned assets); Squad Sensing (Detection of potential threats; and Squad Autonomy (real-time knowledge of surroundings to enhance collaboration).

Legged Squad Support System

To help alleviate the additional weight on troops, DARPA is developing a four-legged robot to be integrated into the ground armed forces. This semi-autonomous robot can carry four times the weight of a normal soldier and has the ability to partake in operations in rugged and hilly terrains without hindering the squad’s mission. The LS3 program will also ensure that the robot can serve as an auxiliary power source for the squad. The use of robots in warfare has seemingly already begun with such initiatives being undertaken by DARPA.

Warrior Web

This program is aimed at the enhancement of soldier abilities during military operations. According to DARPA, a dismounted war fighter carries equipment and gear weighing around 100 pounds. This weight increases the risk of musculoskeletal injury while traversing rugged and hilly terrain hindering the soldier’s ability to function adequately. The Warrior Web program seeks to develop a web structure suit to not only reduce the physical burden but also to impart torque at the ankle, knee and hip joints. By reducing pressure on the soldier during wartime operations, DARPA hopes to make the forces more adept and efficient. The Army Research Laboratory has also been building stronger robots through the development of artificial muscles.

PREPARE program

The Pre-emptive Expression of Protective Alleles and Response Elements (PREPARE) program aims at controlling and mitigating the risk of health hazards. It is a biotechnical program of DARPA aimed at identifying host genetic diseases and developing medical countermeasures that can quickly activate and boost protection without altering the underlying genetic code. The program has been envisioned to contain and tackle a broad range of threats; however, within the PREPARE program, researchers are aiming at demonstrating the effectiveness of the program by addressing 4 major threats. These are organophosphate poising, opioid overdose, influence infection and exposure to gamma irradiation. These threats are faced by most forces and the mitigation of these threats through medical countermeasures will ensure an enhancement in the US armed forces capabilities.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE PROGRAMS

µBRAIN

The Brain program will explore concepts aimed at understanding the highly integrated nervous and sensory system and develop modules to emulate the functions. The research has led to multiple programs and the capability of using enhanced biological functions in military technology. This includes programs aimed at developing an enhanced capability of soldiers such as enhanced body healing, touch interfaces and mechanized prosthetics

Neural Engineering System Design

This program seeks to develop technology capable of mitigating the effects of injury on the auditory and visual systems of military personnel. It will create both hardware and algorithms in an attempt to understand various forms of neural sensing and mitigating of such injuries. It aims to develop an interface which is far more adept than today’s neurotechnology which can read 106 neurons, write to 105 neurons, and interact with 103. It would not only lead to understanding the underpinning of sensory organs such as speech, vision and hearing but also to develop new treatments for treatment

Intelligent Neural Interfaces

The INI program has been initiated under the third wave of AI as has been described by DARPA. It refers to the stage of AI having the capacity of understanding human behaviour and interactions. The program will thus seek to develop interfaces that will monitor, understand and gain insight into the human nervous system and sensory motions. It will focus on contextual adaptation and enabling machines to function in accordance with neural interface-controlled devices. DARPA’s development of intelligent neural interfaces will provide the US military with a base for further development in the field of AI. It is clear that the United States plans to modernize and enhance its capabilities in warfare through the use of artificial intelligence in its future military engagements and operations.

Space Environment Exploitation

This program falls more broadly under the category of space development; however, it showcases one of DARPA's most advanced AI systems yet. The SEE program aims at assimilating Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in understanding the near-earth space environment. It uses the latest advancements in computer learning in order to build a common operating space environment picture through the development of low cost and non-traditional means to observe near-earth plasma dynamics. The Space Environment Exploitation program will provide future military commanders and operators with precise space environment situational awareness to carry out operational and tactical decisions during future conflicts.

CONCLUSION

The Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency has thus begun a revolutionization of the military in previously unimaginable ways. The above-mentioned programs and developments are but a few in a hundred other active programs. Though most have turned out successful, had also begun other programs that have currently been put on the standby until further notice. In an attempt to enhance the abilities of soldiers DARPA had initiated many such programs that today are definitely still on the table but yet to be fruitful. The US military, like most other countries, has seemingly shifted towards the development of smart forces. In a time of changing security dynamics, it is not the numbers that matter but rather the technical capabilities that do. The agency had thus initiated a number of programs such as sleep deprivation, super climbing abilities and the TALOS program in order to enhance these technical capabilities. While the sleep deprivation program has not taken off, the Tactical Assault Light Operator Suit (TALOS) program was nearing completion when it was closed. Nevertheless, this was one of the US’s first programs in developing augmented and indestructible soldiers of the future. This is a dream that the US military still holds onto and though the TALOS program may be shelved, the country will not stop at achieving this dream.

DARPA has thus made immense progress in a number of fields. According to the agency, these advancements have been brought about in the face of accelerated changes affecting national security. According to a DARPA report for 2019, “What had been a fairly well-defined global order punctuated by occasional surprises has transformed into an ever-shifting, complex and less certain security picture.” It has thus undertaken a number of initiatives in dealing with these changing security dynamics. Post the fall of the Soviet Union the US emerged as the sole superpower in the world with no challenger competent enough to engage with it. Today, the US is seeing a number of emerging countries that will threaten it in the following years. China has already been placed at number 2 and has become the biggest rival of the United States. It has taken no small steps in this process of reaching a position to equal the US and if it endures it could surpass the capabilities of the country. The advancements made by DARPA thus seemingly run in tandem with such possibilities of the future.

However, the question that then arises is in complete opposition to the usage of such technologies. What will be the cost of these developments on the ethics of warfare? Not only does it pose a dilemma to countries that will be at the brunt of such innovations but also to the very concept of warfare. Many countries today seek enhancement in their armed forces to the stage that it has reached a critical tipping point. With the birth of such technologies, it is clear that the future balance of power will be determined by the same. The very idea of warfare has been changing and with it the dynamics governing the global balance. Through the advancements shown above, it is clear that countries like the US are no longer interested in large armies and have slowly shifted towards smart forces. In reducing the size of human forces and developing unmanned and technically advanced weapons the US will not only improve its chances at winning future conflicts but also reduce battle causalities.

The only hurdle in this ideal future is the fact that along with the US other countries are doing the same. Countries like China and Russia have begun their own revolutions in military technology and weaponry. The Peoples Liberation Army of China has already funded a number of AI military projects, inclusive of equipment systems, robotics, control systems and unmanned weapons. In much the same way Russia has also begun its own modernization programs, weaponizing AI systems to serve for future wars. It has become apparent that these countries are gradually outpacing the US in their Research and Development in AI weapons and technology. This has become a strategic problem for the United States, especially in the face of China seeking to become the global leader in technology. In the face of these changing dynamics it is inevitable that this contemporary arms race will only be quickened and with it will increase the uncertainty of the global system.

 (Picture Courtsey-DARPA website)

(Zeus Hans Mendez is Research Intern with Centre for Security and Strategy Studies,CS3)