The U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command has attained significant success with Advanced Dynamic Spectrum Reconnaissance (ADSR). The Army Research Laboratory Pathfinder program has equipped soldiers and researchers with the necessary tools to expedite the development and progression of solutions to critical field issues. ADSR, an artificial intelligence (AI)-enhanced system, empowers the Army’s wireless communication networks to detect and evade enemy jamming while minimizing radio frequency (RF) emissions that could potentially expose Army forces to enemy targeting. This project, initiated by Vanderbilt and further refined through collaboration with Soldiers from the 101st Airborne, stands out as one of the pioneering Pathfinder initiatives.
Senator Marsha Blackburn emphasized the importance of providing service members with state-of-the-art equipment and technologies to enhance their capabilities in overcoming adversaries. The continuous support for the Pathfinder system leverages the expertise of esteemed institutions like Vanderbilt and the University of Tennessee to address the most challenging issues faced by the Army, ensuring that the U.S. army maintains its strategic advantage over adversaries.
During the Combined Resolve exercise at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center of the 7th Army Training Command in Germany, Electronic Warfare Soldiers from the 3rd Infantry Division successfully utilized the new ADSR technology. This enabled them to train NATO and NATO-partner models, reinforcing the system’s efficacy.
1st Lt. Brenden Shutt, a cyber warfare agent with the 3rd ID, highlighted the importance of gaining an edge in electronic warfare operations. By swiftly identifying the enemy’s electromagnetic signature, the team can provide real-time intelligence on the battlefield, enhancing their operational effectiveness.
The evolution of the ADSR technology, initially developed through collaborative efforts at Vanderbilt University and DARPA-sponsored challenge competitions, has been continuously enhanced through operational experiments with Soldiers from the 101st at Fort Campbell. Operational tests were conducted at various locations, including the Smardan Training Area in eastern Romania and the Civil-Military Innovation Institute’s (CMI2) Adaptive Experimentation Facility in central West Virginia.
Adam Jay Harrison, a member of the ADSR team and the Vanderbilt Distinguished Entrepreneur in Residence, acknowledged the pivotal role of the Pathfinder program in facilitating the utilization of their technology for military applications. The engagement with the Army’s operational requirements and soldier feedback provided by Pathfinder was instrumental in realizing the full potential of their systems.
The 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) in West Virginia conducted a long-range air assault exercise in April 2023 to evaluate the ADSR technology. Through scenario-based training at CMI2’s Driving Innovation in Realistic Training Days, military personnel tested the new systems, demonstrating the practical utility of initiatives like Pathfinder and ADSR in bridging scientific research with military applications.
Senator Bill Hagerty commended the collaborative efforts fostered by Pathfinder, emphasizing its role in providing cutting-edge scientific capabilities to frontline warfighters, exposing college students to real-world challenges for future research, and driving the development of high-paying engineering jobs associated with Pathfinder-Air Assault projects.
