ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. (Aug. 6, 2015) -- As nearly 30,000 U.S. and Australian Service members convened for Talisman Sabre 15, Army officials said the two-week exercise was a prime opportunity to address technological concerns.
U.S. Army science and technology advisors traveled across Australia July 7-20 to discuss issues with operational units during the joint, biennial exercise.
"Soldiers are happy to talk with you about their equipment," said Lt. Col. Tom Bentzel, director of the U.S. Army International Technology Center Australia. "We got good feedback about boots, packs, vehicles, logistics supply chain, and command and control issues with communications connectivity and interoperability.
"Hopefully we'll be able to turn those into ideas that become research projects or contribute to ongoing projects and bring more relevance to them."
The ITC in Australia is part of the U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command. The ITC mission is to work cooperatively between countries on research and development projects that bridge gaps and achieve common goals.
Bentzel, along with Capt. Scott Pegan of U.S. Army Reserve Sustainment Command Detachment 8, were based at Camp Rocky, Queensland, during the exercise. They traveled to several exercise locations to meet with American and Australian operational units.
They submitted 35 requests for information to RDECOM headquarters on behalf of Soldiers. The RFIs are forwarded to the appropriate U.S. Army research and development center, and six requests were answered during the exercise. Four RDECOM centers received RFIs.
"Commanders in the field welcomed our presence," Bentzel said. "They recognize they won't see resolutions in six months, but it's achieving that RDECOM objective of being relevant to Soldiers in operational units and serving their needs.
"Sometimes it takes a bit of imagination to see beyond the daily common everyday problems that Soldiers have and see how science can influence those. Look beyond acquisition to look to the science. We were looking for ways that we could improve their comfort, effectiveness and efficiency in the field."
Mission command interoperability and communications connectivity was the greatest issue for Soldiers, Bentzel said. Some American systems did not interact well with Australian ones or were not able to be configured properly because of the complexity of the networks.
"RDECOM is supporting each of the Pacific Pathways exercises as part of its commitment to being warfighter focused," Bentzel said.
In addition to RDECOM's team on the ground in Australia, the command also provided technical expertise to U.S. Army paratroopers flying from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska.
About 400 Soldiers parachuted onto Kapyong Drop Zone at Williamson Airfield in Australia. The 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, jumped from seven C-17 Globemasters, two of which belonged to the Royal Australian Air Force. The 19-hour journey was their longest infiltration direct flight.
Andy Margules, RDECOM's Field Assistance in Science and Technology advisor assigned to U.S. Army Alaska, said three Army organizations worked together on the Soldier readiness issues of proper nutrition, heat-related injuries, dehydration and sleep cycles.
"With 4/25 being active and able to engage in its objectives immediately after landing, it gives confidence to the Australian forces that the U.S. is ready and prepared to execute such a mission in the future," Margules said.
Scientists from RDECOM's Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center gave advice on nutrition. They provided more than 800 First Strike rations and explained the nutritional benefits compared with commercial alternatives. In addition, they explained how Soldiers could change their eating habits before the exercise to prevent lethargy after landing in Australia.
The U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine discussed how to prevent heat-related injuries upon landing based on thermal loading predictions and equipment requirements. USARIEM also provided information on the amount of water needed prevent dehydration during flight and once on the ground.
Finally, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center sleep specialists presented the optimal sleep plan for the flight. The plan detailed when Soldiers should be sleeping (with and without the use of sleep aids), the difference in sleep cycling for Soldiers landing to refuel in Hawaii versus those flying non-stop, and how Soldiers should change their sleep cycles to match Australian time.
"The gaps addressed by RDECOM were not technological in nature but show that the research and engineering at RDECOM can address non-technological or 'soft gaps' when challenged," Margules said.
"While the soft gaps raised by 4/25 for this exercise are unique to their role as the Airborne response force in the Pacific area, they can be applied to any other long duration mission by U.S. forces."
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The U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command has the mission to ensure decisive overmatch for unified land operations to empower the Army, the joint warfighter and our nation. RDECOM is a major subordinate command of the U.S. Army Materiel Command.
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