Consequences for command and control of autonomous cooperative systems - Final report

Autonomous systems are highly automated systems with goal directed behaviour that are developed to increase effectiveness and reduce demands on personnel. Military applications of autonomous systems are essential for the increased demands of future complex and rapid combat engagements. Autonomous systems provide new means for military needs of fire, intelligence, movement, endurance, and protection. Since autonomous systems are unmanned, they offer new circumstances for command and control. For example, in the form of opportunities for increased risk taking and increased opportunities for design of autonomous systems based on their task. This report summarises the studies that were performed within the project Consequences for Command and Control of Autonomous Cooperative Systems. The project studied how military personnel used autonomous systems for mechanised warfare. The autonomous systems were either simulated or given representative properties in a tactical board game for mechanised warfare. The autonomous systems that were studied were unarmed quadcopter drone, medium size ground vehicle armed with machine gun and anti-tank robot, and heavy ground vehicle armed with machine gun and canon. The results show that autonomous systems provide many benefits for mechanised warfare, such as better situation awareness of enemy positions, more fire power, and lower risk of human losses. Command and control of autonomous systems is most suitable at the company level. Although the needs are often great at the platoon level, the platoon commander does not have any free capacity to also lead autonomous systems. Instead, it is better to add an additional command and control vehicle to the company command with crew, operators for autonomous systems, and a commander.