Live Experiment: FireAnt on Bradley Armor
As part of the Pegasus Charge 3 maneuvers conducted by the 1st Cavalry Division in conjunction with US Army units, the transport of FireAnt ground drones on the M2A4 Bradley armored vehicle was tested. FireAnt is a modular robotic platform from Swarmbotics AI; it can engage in reconnaissance, electronic warfare, and countering enemy drones.
Footage from the exercises shows at least five FireAnts secured on the left side of the Bradley. However, there is no confirmation that similar robots are on the right side, and it has not been shown how they will be deployed and utilized. FireAnt has previously been shown in versions for one-way attacks and for targeting tanks, but these vehicles do not visibly show any anti-tank combat units.
The experiment is part of the Army’s “Transformation in Contact” program. Stephen Houghton, CEO and co-founder of Swarmbotics AI, noted:
“For robots to participate in combat, unconventional solutions and a willingness to rethink established doctrines are needed.”
Supply Issues for Bradley Parts Intended for Ukraine
Meanwhile, the US Army is seeking suppliers for components for the Bradley M2A2 ODS-SA being provided as military aid to Ukraine. Some necessary parts have already been discontinued from production. The following are in short supply:
- turret drive controllers;
- transmission control modules;
- ammunition trays;
- Dialight Corp. lens lights.
Thus, American military personnel need to simultaneously enhance innovative capabilities and address supply issues: new robotic systems should reinforce the Bradley, while older versions of these machines, which continue to be used in aid to Ukraine, require a resumption of production of missing components. For the Russian-speaking audience, this is an important example of how technological progress in the US Army coexists with the necessity of maintaining existing equipment in working condition.