Tactical Behaviors for Autonomous Maneuver

The Tactical Behaviors for Autonomous Maneuver Collaborative Research Program (TBAM-CRP) is a grant developed by the US Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Army Research Laboratory (DEVCOM ARL). The program focuses on the future battlefield operations where teams of Robotics and Autonomous Systems (RAS) could play critical roles such as delivering situational awareness or defending key locations. This initiative seeks to develop a fundamental understanding of warfighter concepts and aims to improve mission capabilities of teams of RAS in a complex maneuver environment, involving possible adversaries.

The TBAM-CRP hopes to develop and experiment with coordinated and individual behaviors for small groups of autonomous agents in military relevant environments. The program is planned to work on a series of sprint efforts with annual program reviews. It's organized in two-year cycles with assigned research topics, each contributing toward the long-term goals of the program. Five new topics are expected to be introduced in FY22, 24, 26, 28, 30, and the funds will be provided under a cooperative agreement (CA).

The TBAM-CRP is open to collaboration, and the research outcomes need to be demonstrated in sophisticated simulations of the related environments. Such results may be further adapted for higher Technology Readiness Level (TRL) experimentation at ARL test facilities. The recipients of this grant will be given access to relevant software, simulation tools, multi-agent learning support, and the current information state of the Autonomous Systems Enterprise (ASE). The research efforts will also be supported by other ARL research programs and alliances.

At the end of the two-year cycle, a capstone demonstration will be conducted, where recipients can showcase their developed capabilities in simulated relevant environments.

The program is open to proposals from institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, and for-profit organizations. Proposals will be evaluated based on merit and competitiveness. Potential candidates for the award can find more information and necessary contact details for collaboration identification on ARL's website. Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDC) can also propose, following their sponsoring agency policy.