AUTOMATION: Soldiers will run a platoon attack of robot vehicles from a Bradley in a test.

The month-long operation test at Fort Carson, Colorado, is aimed at getting data and feedback for the Combat Capabilities Development Command’s Ground Vehicle Systems Center.

Army researchers are using upgraded Bradleys, dubbed Mission Enabler Technologies-Demonstraters, or MET-Ds. Those upgrades include a remote turret for the 25mm main gun, 360-degree awareness cameras and enhanced crew stations with touchscreens, according to an Army release.

They’ll test with two MET-Ds and four robotic combat vehicles initially. Each of the MET-Ds will have a driver, gunner and four soldiers running platoon-level maneuvers with the vehicles armed with 7.62mm machine guns.

“We’re asking them to utilize the vehicles in a way that’s never been done before,” said David Centeno Jr., chief of the center’s Emerging Capabilities Office.

“You’re exposing forces to enemy fire, whether that be artillery, direct fire,” he said. “So, we have to find ways to penetrate that bubble, attrit their systems and allow for freedom of air and ground maneuver. These platforms buy us some of that, by giving us standoff.”

Let’s just not ever fully automate the killchain, or SkyNet really will smile.