New Technology Tested for Future of Warfare

The world's first hybrid electric jet aircraft, drones that fit in the palm of your hand and driverless vehicles were some of the latest equipment with new technology tested on the Army Warfighting Experiment (AWE) 2023 By Joseph Macey / 12 Dec 2023

Discover Leading Defense Technology Solutions

Discover cutting-edge solutions from leading global suppliers
SUPPLIER SPOTLIGHT
New Technology Tested for Future Warfare
Follow DA

Defence Equipment & Support’s (DE&S) Future Capability Group has worked alongside the Army, DSTL and industry to interrogate some of the latest technology as part of the Army Warfighting Experiment (AWE) 2023.

AWE has been the flagship innovation experimentation programme for the past six years and helps fuel DE&S’ commitment to developing new capabilities and harnessing technology to build a competitive edge for the UK Armed Forces.

The opportunity to forge relationships with a wide range of industries and identify technology that could be used in future warfare is critical for DE&S’ desire to drive continuing improvement through the defense enterprise.

Army Warfighting Experiment Blunt and Dislocate 2023. Credit: Chris Winter.

Samantha Officer, Assistant Head Land Experimentation in FCG, said; “AWE is a flagship experimentation event and takes a huge collaborative effort. FCG’s role is to make the event a reality, to program manage day-to-day activity and to act as a point of contact for industry who are excited to have been given the opportunity to get feedback from the user and mature their technology in line with requirements. I love delivering this project alongside Army Headquarters. It’s a long, consistently challenging process but ultimately one that’s incredibly rewarding and that I and my team are proud to be part of.”

The focus of this year’s AWE was to identify current and emerging technologies that could provide solutions to the challenges faced by soldiers in urban warfare.

Over the last month more than 40 systems including the world’s first hybrid electric jet aircraft, drones that fit in the palm of your hand and driverless vehicles from 35 suppliers; two thirds of which are from British industry, were tested and assessed by the Army’s Experimentation Battalion, 2nd Battalion The Royal Yorkshire Regiment on Salisbury Plain.

Army Warfighting Experiment Blunt and Dislocate 2023. Credit: Chris Winter.

The results from the experiment will generate evidence to inform future investment decisions and drive the thinking on design and training decisions, ensuring the Army has the best solutions to meet the demands of modern warfare.

Private Daniel Gonzalez from the British Army, added; “We’ve been trialing everything from software to unmanned vehicles, and from ladders to an electric wheelbarrow that can be used to evacuate casualties or to carry kit. You can see exactly where a lot of the kit slots into the battlespace. Some of the kit less so as it is still in development, and some is not fit for purpose. We are looking towards the future battlespace and looking at lessons learned from countries like Ukraine. It’s important to learn the lessons from those conflicts and stay up-to-date and get ahead of the curve. This kit will help us do that or, at the very least, enable us to stay on par with a future enemy.”

The evidence from the AWE will inform the army and defense as to the capabilities which should receive investment in order that the Army may become more lethally effective and remain competitive on the global stage.

Posted by Joseph Macey Connect & Contact

Latest Articles

Commercial vs. 3D Printed Propellers

Tyto Robotics delves into whether UAV rotors produced through additive manufacturing can match the aerodynamic and acoustic performance of commercially available plastic propellers

Feb 14, 2025
Specialized Drones Trialled for Medical Supply Delivery in Military Training

Oregon National Guard combat medics are training with drones to deliver medical supplies, enhancing battlefield readiness for large-scale operations with innovative solutions

Feb 14, 2025
EFI Drone Propulsion Solutions for Military Applications

Defense Advancement showcases INF Inject's advanced EFI (electronic fuel injection) drone propulsion solutions for military and defense applications

Feb 14, 2025
New SOSA-Aligned FPGA PIC Module for Tactical Sensor Processing Applications

Curtiss-Wright is unveiling the VPX3-536 Adaptable Processor, a new SOSA-aligned 3U VPX FPGA plug-in-card (PIC) module designed for demanding tactical sensor processing applications such as radar and electronic warfare

Feb 14, 2025
U.S. Marine Corps Evaluates New Reconnaissance Vehicle Prototype

General Dynamics Land Systems has tested its Advanced Reconnaissance Vehicle (ARV) C4/UAS variant with the U.S. Marine Corps, focusing on mobility, AI integration, and battlefield connectivity

Feb 13, 2025
Rugged Computing Solutions for Defense Applications

Defense Advancement showcases Systel's rugged mission-critical computing solutions for defense and government applications

Feb 13, 2025

Featured Content

Rugged Computing Solutions for Defense Applications

Defense Advancement showcases Systel's rugged mission-critical computing solutions for defense and government applications

Feb 13, 2025
IDEX 2025: Allen-Vanguard to Introduce New RF CEMA Technology

Allen-Vanguard is unveiling its latest core at IDEX 2025, delivering a new level of capability for multi-function CEMA platforms with improved electronic warfare performance

Feb 13, 2025
Teledyne FLIR Unveils Software Solution to Enhance UAS Automation & AI Capabilities

Teledyne FLIR introduces Prism Supervisor, enhancing UAS capabilities by integrating autopilot systems with AI-driven analytics, enabling real-time mission adaptation, automation, and synchronized multi-UAV operations for improved efficiency and success

Feb 10, 2025