Exploring Surveillance in Ukraine: A Reexamination of Engineering Intelligence
The US Army is looking to replicate the success of DeepStateMAP, an open-source intelligence cell based in Ukraine, in integrating real-time media into its main Common Operational Picture (COP). This innovative approach, focusing on the roles of combat engineers and geospatial engineers, could revolutionise the way the Army gathers and processes data on the battlefield.
DeepStateMAP has made a significant impact by focusing on metadata, using minute details to trace the frontline advances of the 2023 Ukrainian counteroffensive. The key lies in the utility of engineer reconnaissance, as defined in the Army's manual on engineer reconnaissance. Combat engineers can deploy and maintain sensors and IoT devices on the battlefield, feeding real-time data into the COP.
Geospatial engineers, on the other hand, provide critical expertise in mapping, modeling, and spatial analysis. They can enhance the COP by integrating geospatial intelligence with live media feeds to produce layered, situationally relevant maps. This improves decision-making at all command levels.
To operationalise this, the Army should deploy integrated sensor networks managed by combat engineers to capture real-time battlefield media. AI and machine learning tools can then be leveraged to fuse raw media data with geospatial intelligence, creating an enriched and continuously updated COP. Training combat and geospatial engineers in advanced data handling, real-time media management, and system interoperability is crucial to bridge the physical and digital domains effectively.
Additionally, developing adaptable user interfaces for the COP allows commanders to easily interpret and manipulate real-time integrated media and geospatial layers for enhanced situational awareness.
The success of DeepStateMAP is due to the relationship between data collectors and those responsible for updating the map. This effective collection, exploitation, and integration of external media into a single COP is the blueprint the Army should follow.
The assistant brigade engineer bridges interactions between engineer reconnaissance teams and the geospatial intelligence cell. Training the route clearance platoon as a specialized reconnaissance force within the brigade engineer battalion can facilitate the transfer of data necessary for more custom mapping. The assistant brigade engineer serves as the primary point of contact for communicating engineer information to adjacent staff sections.
Route clearance platoons within brigade engineer battalions are the best candidates for exclusively engineer reconnaissance missions. While the assistant brigade engineer is not a direct supervisor of the geospatial intelligence cell, they are privy to the S2's collection plan.
A successor to the ENFIRE kit, called the Automated Route Reconnaissance Kit, has been in development since at least 2018, though details about its acquisition by the Engineer Regiment are not known. Engineer reconnaissance data must be georeferenced based on metadata for integration into the GIS.
In summary, successful replication requires the convergence of real-time media collection by combat engineers, advanced geospatial analytics by geospatial engineers, and AI-driven data fusion to keep the COP accurate, current, and actionable. This approach mirrors the capabilities seen in programs like DARPA’s Squad X, which aimed to integrate autonomous AI with infantry units, emphasising rapid, adaptive data fusion in operational environments.
- To replicate the success of DeepStateMAP, the US Army needs to integrate military intelligence from Engineer reconnaissance with geospatial intelligence, leveraging technology such as data-and-cloud-computing for real-time data processing and AI-driven data fusion in the Common Operational Picture (COP).
- The key to this integration lies in the utility of engineer reconnaissance, where combat engineers can deploy sensors and IoT devices on the battlefield, while geospatial engineers integrate geospatial intelligence with live media feeds to produce layered, situationally relevant maps.
- Training combat and geospatial engineers in advanced data handling, real-time media management, and system interoperability is crucial, as well as developing adaptable user interfaces for the COP, to bridge the physical and digital domains effectively.
