Investigating Engineers in the Spotlight Once More: Insights Gleaned from Ukraine's Situation
In the ever-evolving landscape of modern warfare, the US Army is focusing on fostering a robust capability in real-time data collection, processing, and geospatial integration. This strategic approach aims to replicate the success of DeepStateMAP, an Ukrainian open-source intelligence cell that maintains a digital war map of Ukraine, in integrating real-time media into its main Common Operational Picture (COP).
At the heart of this strategy lies the importance of **engineer reconnaissance** and **geospatial engineers**. Engineer reconnaissance units specialize in rapidly surveying and assessing terrain, infrastructure, and enemy positions, ensuring operational environments are precisely understood and updated in near real-time. Their skills provide timely and accurate data gathering on the ground that feeds into the COP.
On the other hand, geospatial engineers process and analyse geospatial information, integrating media such as video feeds, social media posts with location data, and other open-source intelligence onto digital maps. This role includes validating and correlating data with existing geospatial frameworks, thus enhancing situational awareness.
By combining engineer reconnaissance's tactical data collection with geospatial engineers' analytical and integration capabilities, the Army can create a dynamic, constantly updated COP that melds various real-time media sources (news, social media, imagery, sensor data) into a single actionable interface.
To replicate this integration, the Army is considering several implementation tactics. These include developing or adopting an open-data-driven platform similar to Liveuamap, which aggregates and geolocates multimedia content from diverse sources, continuously updating conflict or operational areas.
Establishing workflows for rapid verification and geospatial tagging of incoming media, leveraging both automated tools and human expertise, is also a key strategy. Training engineer reconnaissance teams to use portable media capture and transmission technologies is crucial, ensuring frontline intel is immediately fed into geospatial analysts.
Enhancing integration standards and interoperability between tactical field units, intelligence analysts, and command-level systems to ensure seamless data flow is another crucial aspect. Lastly, emphasizing collaboration between engineers and intelligence units to contextualize geospatial media within operational planning and decision-making is essential.
Route clearance platoons within brigade engineer battalions are the best candidates for exclusively engineer reconnaissance missions. Equipped with ENFIRE kits, these combat engineers can create media similar to what DeepStateMAP receives via anonymous submissions on the internet. A successor to the ENFIRE kit, called the Automated Route Reconnaissance Kit, has been in development since at least 2018.
The assistant brigade engineer serves as the primary point of contact for these units, acting as a liaison officer for communicating the interests and employment of engineers to enable maneuver operations. They also serve as the primary point of contact for engineer reconnaissance teams and the geospatial intelligence cell, bridging interactions between these teams and ensuring effective communication.
The end state of reconnaissance is to formulate connections and refine mission parameters for efficient resource application on the battlefield. The war in Ukraine has demonstrated the need for external imagery to be folded into COP products and the applicability of GIS to tie isolated skirmishes into a full measure of the conflict's progress.
In conclusion, the US Army's focus on engineer reconnaissance and geospatial integration is a significant step towards creating a more dynamic and actionable COP. By leveraging these strategies, the Army aims to provide commanders and units with a comprehensive situational understanding, derived from diverse real-time media inputs integrated through specialized engineer roles.
- The integration of engineer reconnaissance's tactical data collection with geospatial engineers' analytical and integration capabilities will create a dynamic, constantly updated Common Operational Picture (COP), combining various real-time media sources into a single actionable interface.
- To replicate the success of operations like DeepStateMAP, the US Army is considering adopting an open-data-driven platform, similar to Liveuamap, which aggregates and geolocates multimedia content from varied sources, continuously updating conflict or operational areas.
- To ensure the seamless flow of data from tactical field units, intelligence analysts, and command-level systems, the Army is emphasizing collaboration between engineers and intelligence units, contextualizing geospatial media within operational planning and decision-making.
