Courtesy of Camp Atterbury
EDINBURGH, Ind. – A portion of Camp Atterbury will soon be home to a proving and testing ground for new technologies, largely those involving autonomous vehicles, that could be useful to both civilians and the military.
Officials announced the new deal during a ceremony on Friday. The 10-year, $940,000 lease of state-owned land and roadways within Camp Atterbury’s north post will allow PRŪV “an independent and secure location” to test “next-generation advanced mobility developments.”
Indiana National Guard Maj. Gen. Dale Lyles said the advancement of autonomous military vehicles and weapons could help save the lives of soldiers in future conflicts. He noted, for example, that the dangers of first contact with an enemy could be absorbed by robots and Artificial Intelligence.
As part of those autonomous vehicle developments, Lyles predicted that PRŪV would eventually use Camp Atterbury’s restricted airspace to test how unmanned aerial systems, like drones, could be used to “defeat systems or enhance their systems in the war fight.”
“It is imperative that we keep this place open to ensure the safety of all Americans, and that we prevail against all of our adversaries,” said Lyles, Indiana’s adjutant general. He further applauded the project as a ground-breaking cooperation between the military and private sector.
Camp Atterbury, near Edinburgh, serves as a major training site for the Indiana National Guard.
Lyles noted that because much of the National Guard’s training happens on weekends, “we have this available capacity through the week.”
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