Soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division recently visited the Aviation and Missile Research, Development and Engineering Center to learn of current and future projects developed to support them and their comrades.
The paratroopers made the most of their day-long tour by telling AMRDEC scientists and engineers how they employed current technology and systems during their combat tours, as well as discussing possible modifications and other improvements.
"The Soldier in the field will use his available equipment in ways that we have never considered. This is nothing new to me; I have always known that. But capturing those little details from the troops when they return is extremely valuable," said Lamar M. Auman, the AMRDEC chief of Aerodynamic Technology.
This tour allowed the Soldiers to speak about how they employed the small, hand-launched Raven UAV while actually in AMRDEC's Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Laboratory.
Auman was impressed by their inventiveness and said that he had never imagined that the UAV could be employed in such a manner but that future improvements to the Raven could incorporate the Soldiers' tactics, techniques and procedures.
A favorite stop on an AMRDEC tour is the laboratory where visitors learn how engineers are improving how Soldiers operate robots and get hands-on experience operating current and future robot controller technology.
Army Reserve Capt. and AMRDEC Contractor and Brian Mumper has served in Iraq as an Artillery Reconnaissance Team Leader with the 5th Squadron 7th US Cavalry, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division. Using his first-hand experience with the robots he demonstrated some of the software enhancements from the Computer Assisted Tele-Operation and Computer Assisted Robotic Manipulation project and how they changed the manipulation and performance characteristics of the Foster-Miller Talon-IIIB robotic platform.
"I accompanied EOD teams on a daily basis for several months while in Iraq, which afforded me the opportunity to learn the operations of the robots. I also served as one of the UAV pilots for our battalion in theatre," said Mumper.
The Soldiers also stopped at the America's Army Project Office and took a simulated flight in the type of AH-64 Apache simulator that is used in the Army Experience Center and as part of a tour that has exhibited at two major auto shows. The simulators use simulated tactical Apache controls, giving the pilot full flight controls and control of simulated weapons to both the pilot and co-pilot during a 5-minute experience built with Epic Games' Unreal 3.0 Engine.
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