- The U.S. Army Maneuver Center of Excellence launched the first pilot of the Robotic Autonomous Systems Leader Tactics Course at Fort Benning.
- The three-week course trains officers and senior NCOs to integrate unmanned ground vehicles, small drones, and other autonomous systems into maneuver operations.
The United States Army Maneuver Center of Excellence (MCoE) at Fort Benning launched the first pilot of the Robotic Autonomous Systems Leader Tactics Course (RASLT) on Feb. 10 as part of Army-wide Transforming in Contact initiatives.
The three-week course is designed to prepare Army leaders for future conflicts in which autonomous and robotic systems will play a more prominent role. According to the Army, three pilot iterations are planned in Fiscal Year 2026, each running five days a week.
Lt. Col. Alan Hastings, commander of the 3rd Squadron, 16th Cavalry Regiment, the unit overseeing RASLT, said the training addresses the integration of new formations into operational units.
“What we hope RASLT will provide is a touchpoint within an officer or NCO’s professional military education timeline where they are exposed to this subject matter and they develop a foundation for building proficiency and expertise in planning tactical operations, combining arms with these new capabilities,” Hastings said.
The course targets officers from first lieutenant to major and enlisted personnel ranked sergeant first class and above. Capt. Alison Darby, the RASLT course director, said enlisted participants should first complete the Scout Leader Course or Battle Staff NCO Course, while officers are expected to have graduated from the Maneuver Captain’s Career Course before attending.
“We’re looking for leaders (who) are returning to the operational force where there is likely to be one of these robotics and autonomous systems formations integrated at the company, battalion, or brigade level,” Darby said.
The curriculum follows a structured format over three weeks. In the first week, students receive an overview of autonomous systems before focusing on unmanned ground vehicle types and capabilities. The week concludes with a cognitive exercise in which students develop and execute a plan as a company commander in a mobile brigade combat team with RASLT assets attached.
“This is our first chance to test their ability to plan and execute their plan based off the injects they’re getting from the instructor acting as a thinking, adaptive enemy,” Darby said.
During the second week, students examine small unmanned aircraft system capabilities, limitations, and operational considerations. Instruction includes electromagnetic spectrum management and the effects of terrain and weather. The week ends with a defensive tactical decision exercise in which students act as an armor company commander integrating robotics systems into a combined arms formation.
The third week addresses leadership, ethics, and broader operational considerations related to robotic and autonomous systems. In the final tactical decision exercise, students must incorporate these systems to support an offensive maneuver.
“Graduates of this course should be able to understand the capabilities and limitations of several types of robotic and autonomous systems that are already being implemented in the force or are a proposed idea to add into the force,” Darby said. “Whatever unit they go to, students will have the capability and understanding of how to plan and utilize these systems to enable the maneuver formations.”
The RASLT pilot reflects the Army’s effort to formalize training for leaders as robotic and autonomous platforms become more common at the company, battalion, and brigade levels. By embedding this instruction into professional military education, the service is aligning doctrine, training, and emerging technology under its Transforming in Contact framework.