US Soldiers Test New Kit In Philippines

New battlefield surveillance drones and lighter body armour were among the innovations tested by US soldiers on a recent exercise in the Philippines.

“Transformation in Contact” is the name given to the initial phase of the US Army’s ongoing drive to deliver new technologies to deployed warfighters for testing and analysis.

According to 25th Infantry Division commander, Maj. Gen. Marcus Evans, the ability to quickly put cutting-edge warfighting equipment in the hands of soldiers is key to maintaining readiness. Incorporating new technology such as drones allowed soldiers to become familiar with off-the-shelf equipment that could increase both protection and lethality, he added.

Evans was speaking during a media roundtable appearance on August 2 to highlight participation in the force's Transformation in Contact efforts in the Philippines during Balikatan, an annual bilateral training exercise that supports the U.S.-Philippine Mutual Defense Treaty.

“The broad framework that drives our overall assessment validation is, are we more lethal? Are we more mobile?" he said.

The use of unmanned aircraft systems allowed the Army the ability to see further, to have better sensing mechanisms, better striking mechanisms, and then to be able to project force while protecting the force, he said.

Evans said the division’s participation not only helps integrate emerging technologies into warfighting but helps leaders up and down the chain of command to develop solutions to constantly changing combat developments.

“Our main focus is on warfighting readiness,” he said. “Now we have...[a] small, unmanned air system in the hands of squad leaders that can see 3-5km from their current position, which allows them to understand the battlefield better, protect themselves, and creates increased lethality.” 

Also vital was countering drone threats “and how we can sense those threats that are approaching a formation, and then take actions to protect the formation or to interdict those elements … that are trying to strike us,” he said.

Lessons learned from the Philippine training are set to be worked into the next Combat Training Center rotation in Hawaii at the Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center.

Division Command Sgt. Maj. Shaun Curry said soldiers had learned from Filipino partners that carrying less on a march was highly preferable, given the topography and climate. Here, as well as using the new drones, soldiers were fielding newer body armor that weighs 20% less than older equipment, enhancing their mobility in jungle terrain.

Read more on the US Army website