Simulating autonomous drone behaviors in an anti-access area denial (A2AD) environment
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
10-29-2024
Abstract
Army senior military leaders are invested in acquiring modernized aerial platforms and equipment to augment the US Army’s ability to overcome Anti-Access Area Denial (A2AD) threats imposed by modern Integrated Air Defense Systems (IADS). A prominent element of this modernization effort is the employment of autonomous drones to defeat IADS threats while minimizing risk to Army Soldiers. This research utilizes a framework for classifying the levels of autonomous capability along three dimensions: the ability to act alone, the ability to cooperate, and the ability to adapt. A virtual combat model, created using the Advanced Framework for Simulation, Integration, and Modeling (AFSIM), simulates the engagement between an enemy IADS and a friendly formation comprised of autonomous drones, attack helicopters, and a Long Range Precision Fires (LRPF) capability. A designed experiment evaluates drone performance with varying levels of autonomy. The experimental results reveal that low levels of autonomy yield a 20.74% increase in survivability and a 5.52% increase in lethality.
Source Publication
The Journal of Defense Modeling and Simulation: Applications, Methodology, Technology
Recommended Citation
Martinez, A. L., Champagne, L. E., & LaCasse, P. M. (2024). Simulating autonomous drone behaviors in an anti-access area denial (A2AD) environment. The Journal of Defense Modeling and Simulation: Applications, Methodology, Technology, 15485129241288236. https://doi.org/10.1177/15485129241288236
Comments
This article was published online ahead of inclusion in an issue of JDMS. It is available to subscribers through the DOI link below.