Integrating Emerging Disruptive Technologies

Which combinations of emerging technologies like AI, autonomous robotics (including heterogenous swarms), hypersonic weapons, and directed energy can be paired with or incorporated into legacy platforms to accelerate transformation and generate low-cost scalable options for Army senior leaders? What DOTMLPF-P adjustments must be made to pair proposed legacy systems and emerging technologies?

• Allen, Capt Keenan et al, "EMS Solutions for GPC," SOS AUAR 2024.
  • Answers the question by identifying specific combinations of directed energy and legacy platforms to rapidly field capabilities. The research highlights the integration of Tactical High-Power Microwave (HPM) munitions onto existing 4th and 5th-generation aircraft as a medium-term scalable solution. Additionally, the presentation suggests that modifying existing standoff weapons and utilizing high-volume networked decoys or existing self-defense jamming pods can provide combatant commanders with cost-effective, high-readiness options to close tactical gaps while more advanced cognitive electronic warfare systems are still maturing.
• Austhof, LTC Jeffrey A., "Prioritizing Army National Guard Warfighting Proficiency to Meet Strategic Competition Demands of the United States," AWC SSP, 2022.
  • Directly addresses the DOTMLPF-P adjustments required for the Army to successfully harness these emerging technologies and evolutionary innovations. Citing the Commanding General of the U.S. Army's Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC), the paper emphasizes that the military is in an "Interwar Year" period and must take an integrated DOTMLPF-P approach to prepare for strategic competition. Austhof argues that to maintain a competitive edge and properly integrate technological advancements, Army senior leaders must prioritize specific adjustments to their Doctrine, Training, Leadership and Education, and Facilities, ensuring that both active and reserve components are adequately prepared for their warfighting roles in a highly contested environment.
• Caldwell, LT. Col. James T., "Combined Joint All Domain Command and Control Requirements to Distribute Missile Defense Information to the Tactical Edge," AWC SSP, 2021.
  • Examines how the military can pair AI, drone swarms, and directed energy weapons to protect joint forces at the tactical edge. Caldwell argues that faster AI-driven decision cycles synergized with all-domain intelligence can enable unmanned swarms to attack mobile ground missile launchers or directed energy systems without risking human casualties. To facilitate this transformation, the paper insists that crucial DOTMLPF-P adjustments must be made in doctrine and joint requirements; specifically, the military must update traditional doctrines of air superiority to include cyber and space domains, and fully empower tactical edge units to execute distributed control and decentralized decision-making without waiting for centralized headquarters.
• Conley, Lt. Col. David E., "Perfecting Boyd's Loop: Artificial Intelligence Enhancing the Tactical Edge," AFGC thesis, 2024.
  • Explores the pairing of artificial intelligence with human operators inside the cockpits of existing tactical aircraft to create "augmented intelligence" that outpaces adversary decision cycles. To successfully pair these legacy systems with emerging technologies, the paper explicitly addresses necessary DOTMLPF-P adjustments, arguing that the military must implement entirely new doctrine to account for human-machine teaming. Specifically, the author recommends establishing a new Center of Excellence dedicated exclusively to refining the Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (TTPs) that will govern how human operators trust, train with, and execute alongside generative AI and machine learning systems.
• Cosker, Maj. Nathan, "Quantity Still Has a Quality: Building Scalable Airpower for Peer Conflict," AFGC thesis, 2025.
  • Addresses the query by emphasizing the strategic necessity of shifting from "few and exquisite" acquisitions to "fast, affordable, and abundant" systems. The paper argues that the military must integrate emerging "Acceptable Loss Technology" (ALT)—such as UAV swarms and networked autonomous weapons like Golden Horde—alongside Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) and existing legacy infrastructure. By utilizing low-cost cruise missiles and palletized effects like RAPID DRAGON deployed from existing cargo platforms, the author demonstrates how the military can accelerate transformation, achieve scalable mass, and enhance tactical flexibility without incurring the unsustainable costs of developing entirely new, exquisite platforms.
• Evers, Capt. Braden, "sUAS for Dispersed Agile Air Defense," SOS AUAR 2026.
  • This paper discusses the combination of directed energy weapons and automated systems to create multi-layered, mobile defenses against small Unmanned Aerial Systems (sUAS) swarms. To generate scalable, cost-effective options, Evers suggests pairing directed energy weapons with existing mobile platforms like the Army's M-LIDS (Mobile, Low, Slow, Small Unmanned Aircraft Integrated Defeat System) alongside drone netting and passive defenses. For the necessary DOTMLPF-P adjustments, the paper asserts that the military must shift its doctrine and policy to officially authorize the employment of directed energy weapons at lower tactical echelons. Evers emphasizes that prioritizing Decentralized Command and Control frameworks and redefining defense zones to push air defense authorities down to local units is an absolute imperative for establishing a flexible, resilient defense against emerging UAS threats.
• McGonegal, Maj. Jack, "High Power Microwave Weapons: Disruptive Technology for the Future," ACSC RTF, 2020.
  • This paper addresses how directed energy weapons can be incorporated into legacy platforms to create low-cost, scalable options for military leaders. The author highlights that the military is exploring options to retrofit High-Powered Microwaves (HPMs) into small electronic warfare jamming pods that can be attached to existing legacy rotary-wing aircraft. Furthermore, the paper pairs directed energy concepts with Low-Cost Attritable Aircraft Technology (LCAAT)—such as the XQ-58 Valkyrie—to field highly capable platforms at a significantly lower price point than conventional manned aircraft. Regarding DOTMLPF-P adjustments, the author argues that fielding these emerging technologies requires structural and doctrinal shifts in how intelligence professionals support the platforms and how the military conducts targeting, specifically urging commanders to use HPMs against countervalue targets to directly affect an adversary's decision calculus.
• Palmer, Maj. Kyle, "Autonomous IFCs: Artificial Intelligence and Intermediate Force Capabilities," ACSC EL, 2023.
  • Addresses the integration of artificial intelligence with legacy non-lethal weapon systems. The author proposes that pairing AI with existing Intermediate Force Capabilities (IFCs) offers military leaders a low-risk, scalable opportunity to advance AI technology at speed. By applying AI to less-lethal systems, the military can drastically increase precision and targeting efficiency while simultaneously mitigating the ethical roadblocks and training burdens associated with fully autonomous lethal weapons. This approach allows the Department of Defense to overcome institutional barriers and adapt its doctrine and training to AI integration in a more controlled, morally justifiable environment.
• Pothula, Capt. Jay R., "Integration of Semi-Autonomous Drone Swarms into the USAF," SOS AUAR 2020.
  • This research explores the integration of autonomous robotics and heterogeneous swarms to generate highly scalable and cost-effective capabilities. Rather than risking the lives of personnel or tasking a single expensive legacy asset, the paper proposes deploying thousands of small, low-cost autonomous drones utilizing swarm theory and collective intelligence to accomplish Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions. To seamlessly incorporate these swarms with legacy platforms, the author highlights Distributed Battle Management (DBM) software, which can be integrated into the onboard systems of existing aircraft to provide airborne battle managers with automated AI decision aids. To address the necessary organizational, training, and materiel adjustments, the paper emphasizes that the military must implement "Explainable Artificial Intelligence" (XAI) so operators can understand the AI's rationale. This will require significant updates to the DoD's testing and evaluation phases to ensure autonomous systems are trusted and do not perform unanticipated actions during missions.
• Steele, Lt. Col. Eric D., "Aerial Robotic Swarms and Joint All-Domain Command and Control," AWC SSP, 2020.
  • Explores how artificial intelligence and autonomous aerial robotic swarms can be incorporated into the Joint Force to support maneuvering Army ground units. Steele notes that future battlespaces could see dozens to thousands of miniaturized aircraft providing scalable, low-cost air support and independent kinetic effects. To pair these emerging swarms with existing forces, the paper identifies necessary organizational, training, and doctrinal (DOTMLPF-P) adjustments; specifically, the military must explore new command and control (C2) methodologies, evolve human-machine interfacing (HMI) paradigms, and update theater airspace management procedures to integrate autonomous systems seamlessly into multi-domain operations.
• Stephens, Capt. Peter, "BBP on Penetrating Multi-Domain ES/EA," SOS AUAR 2024.
  • Contributes to the topic by proposing the pairing of advanced Electromagnetic Attack (EA) and Support (ES) capabilities with existing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to achieve spectrum superiority. The paper recommends hosting low-cost EA solutions as modular pods on existing legacy UAVs as well as on new Collaborative Combat Aircraft. To make this a scalable option, the author highlights a critical materiel and organizational adjustment: the Joint Force must utilize standardized open-architecture systems so that containerized software applications can be ported across diverse platforms with little to no additional research, development, or integration costs.
• Varilek, Lt. Col. John D., "United States Hypersonic Weapons and China Deterrence Effects," AWC SSP, 2019.
  • Demonstrates how the Army and Air Force are accelerating transformation by incorporating emerging hypersonic weapons into legacy platforms to create cost-effective, scalable deterrence options. The paper highlights that the Air Force is utilizing the legacy B-52 bomber as a "hypersonic weapons truck," while the Army is repurposing existing Navy boosters to build a road-mobile, deep-strike hypersonic weapon. By fielding these advanced weapons on existing or shared platforms, the services can find the right balance between cost, technology maturation, and military effectiveness, though Varilek notes that policy and organizational adjustments (DOTMLPF-P) must be closely managed to avoid redundant acquisition efforts across the branches.
• Wetzel, Lt. Col. Tyson et al, "Seizing the Advantage: A Vision for the Next US National Defense Strategy," AF Fellows (Atlantic Council), 2021.
  • Answers the question by explicitly addressing the need to modernize the Army's 1980s-era "Big 5" legacy combat systems—the M1 Abrams, M2 Bradley, AH-64 Apache, UH-60 Blackhawk, and MIM-104 Patriot—which are losing their comparative advantage. To accelerate transformation and generate scalable options, Wetzel recommends pairing these formations with "31+4 signature modernization efforts," which incorporate emerging technologies like Long-Range Hypersonic Weapons, Directed Energy Maneuver Short-Range Air Defense Systems, and High-Energy Lasers. Furthermore, to invert the cost curve and redefine traditional concepts of mass and fires, the paper advises senior leaders to heavily invest in low-cost, attritable autonomous combat platforms and drone swarms, leveraging AI and human-machine teaming (such as the "loyal wingman" concept) to dominate the all-domain battlefield.