Adapt or perish, now as ever, is nature’s inexorable imperative.
– Herbert George Wells (1945)

Introduction

The new era of accelerated warfare requires the 20th Regiment Royal Australian Artillery to constantly seek to innovate and acquire technology to remain ready for current and future threats that the Australian Army may face. With the implementation of Land 129-3 project over the next few years, the regiment needs to determine how it can consistently remain ‘ready now’ and ‘future ready’ to support the Australian Army with unmanned aerial systems (UAS) in the ever-evolving combined arms sphere. Innovation, technology and tactics are crucial aspects to the 20th Regiment’s ability to remain ready for the current and future warfare space. This paper discusses the recent technological developments by the United States as a coalition partner, particularly emphasising on UAS swarming technology and tactics, and how the 20th Regiment acquiring such a system could benefit our future readiness. This discussion will occur on the basis that ‘future ready’ is defined as ‘technologically and tactically capable within the accelerated warfare space in reference to the global, regional and domestic operating environment’ (Burr, 2020). The essay will firstly explore the recent development and application of UAS swarming technology and tactics, then discuss the potential advantages with swarming technology being used in conjunction with 20 Regiment’s TUAS capabilities to maintain future readiness. Finally, the paper will explore the challenges of introducing swarming technology into the Australian Army, particularly emphasising on international legislation regarding automated systems.

The concept of swarming technology and military application

UAS swarming technology is a relatively new concept with constant research and development being conducted over the past two decades. Essentially, the concept of UAS swarming involves the use of software algorithms that enable multiple small to medium UAVs to operate together within vicinity of one another, to provide a variety of potential electronic warfare, reconnaissance and combat capabilities (Cevik et al., 2012). Commencing development in the late 2000’s, the US Navy LOCUST (Low-Cost UAV Swarming Technology) small UAS is an example which demonstrates the potential of swarm technology within the battlespace. This system can be autonomous or human-controlled with the primary purpose to provide a low-cost ISR (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance) platform of 30 to 40 UAVs, which can be converted for EW purposes, provide a strike capability, also being able to be employed as a shield capability or as a decoy for other airborne systems and air vehicles (Raytheon, 2018). Similar technology is seemingly adapted by various military powers globally, such as the PLA with their CH-901 small UAS, capable of ISR and strike missions with a swarm of up to 48 UAVs. Overall, swarming technology and tactics is a diverse and growing field providing a wide array of capabilities.

Swarming technology and ‘future readiness’ for 20th Regiment

Swarming systems enable military forces to configure them to attack, defend and provide support functions. In relation to the future of the Australian Army, the advantages of implementing swarming UAS can be conceptualised under the combat functions to: adapt, know, shape, shield, strike and sustain (Sherrin, 2021); but where swarming systems can excel on the battlefield are particularly within their ability to provide the ‘know’, ‘shield’ and ‘strike’ functions. Specifically to the 20th Regiment, RAA, introducing a swarming system to the regiment can provide the following:

1. Direct support to the TUAS systems in a shielding function at lower altitudes against anti-aircraft and CUAS (counter unmanned aerial systems) by blocking or intercepting projectiles, or acting as decoy air vehicles;
2. It can be utilised to shape the enemy with UAS swarm technology EW capabilities such as signal jamming and interception;
3. Swarming technology can also enable low-altitude portable UAS system that can provide target acquisition and a strike capability on time sensitive targets of opportunity. This inherently enables the rapid reaction to battlefield events to prosecute targets in support of friendly ground elements;
4. It provides a reduction of risk to personnel life and high-cost equipment;
5. And an adaptive and redundant UAS that can continue operating and providing ISR by utilising multiple air-vehicles. (Cevik et al., 2012; Lachow, 2017)

These features essentially pave the way for the 20th Regiment to be more flexible in its approach to its core mission to conduct systemic surveillance and accurate target acquisition to enable effective application of joint fires and effects. Furthermore, the flexibility to adapt and utilise this system in a conventional and non-conventional setting inherently enhances the regiment’s ability to maintain future readiness in the modern day battlefield.

Considerations and legislative limitations

Whilst a UAS capable of swarming can be advantageous in maintaining future readiness in an age of technology, there are certainly drawbacks and challenges to swarming UAS such as adversaries continually seeking to develop CUAS technology and the overall dependence on other forms of technology, such as GPS and communications platforms. These challenges and risks can be tolerated and mitigated to an extent with the continual investment into the research and development of proprietary technologies and tactics. However, at the heart of the debate are the legal and ethical considerations behind the employment of ‘automated’ swarm technology configured to apply lethal effects, as existing human-controlled UAS currently operate under international humanitarian law (Lachow, 2017). The lack of existing approved international laws concerning automatic swarm systems limits its application for calculated and rapid lethal effects; however, this does not limit autonomous UAS for the purpose of ISR and potentially electronic warfare. With this being said, the system is still employable under the 20th Regiment’s primary mission in support of the wider army despite these challenges.

Conclusion

All in all, there are considerable benefits to the 20th Regiment pursuing swarming technology similar to that of our coalition partners as it enables us to widen the spectrum of SUAS application. By integrating UAS swarm technology into our ORBAT and developing tactics to suit, the low-cost system can be used in conjunction with our TUAS capabilities to amplify our defence of high-cost assets, increase the type of support 20th Regiment can provide to the wider army, and continually push towards maintaining future readiness in the accelerated warfare space. As identified, there will be legislative challenges for the implementation of such as system in its strike function, however considering the primary mission for 20th Regiment is to provide ISR and accurate target acquisition, swarm technology can be applied in roles alternative to its automatic strike capability. Maintaining future readiness and being ready now will require us to ensure our technological capabilities can match or exceed those of our adversaries. The 20th Regiment Royal Australian Artillery can take advantage of what UAS swarming can offer to become a more flexible and adaptive support element for the Australian Army in protecting Australia and its interests.