Soldier Applied Research

Soldier Applied Research under the Army's Research, Development, Test & Evaluation budget activity, focuses on investigating, designing, and conducting research to enhance Soldier and Squad capabilities over the long term. The program aims to maximize Soldier and Squad performance, lethality, mobility, and survivability by exploring nascent and enduring science and technology areas applicable to individual Soldier and Squad needs. This includes validating foundational technologies for future capabilities with a far-reaching impact on mission success. The program also collaborates with external subject matter experts in academia and industry to inform technical requirements for future Soldier systems.

Project CK9 within PE 0602184A specifically works on advancing concepts and technology forecasting tech in collaboration with the Army Futures Command Combat Capabilities Development Command (AFC CCDC) and the Futures & Concepts Center (FCC). The project aims to integrate applied research outcomes with Army Warfighting Concepts to describe how the Army will fight in the mid- and far-term future. It also provides long-range technology forecasts and trend analysis to enable informed decision-making for near-, mid-, and far-term Army capabilities.

Another project within PE 0602184A is CN2: Intelligent Weapons Concepts and Technologies, which investigates techniques for Soldiers to guide the in-field adaptation of intelligent small arms technologies to respond to changing mission requirements, novel environments, and adversarial actions. The project focuses on enhancing operational performance of individuals and teams of Soldiers through novel weapon and human-agent interaction technologies.

Additionally, Project CN9: Soldier Enabling University Applied Research collaborates with universities to investigate technologies that improve capabilities and systems to advance Soldier and Squad lethality-overmatch. This includes conducting applied research for potential emerging technologies in areas of strategic importance to the Army related to increased protection, performance, agility, situational awareness, training, and lethality.

Overall, these projects aim to inform capabilities development for mid- to far-term Army modernization priorities while maintaining delivery of near-term technologies fundamental to modernization efforts. The cited research aligns with the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering priority focus areas and the Army Modernization Strategy.