The event included visitors from the United Kingdom, including Col. James Fern, Assistant Head of the Ground Maneuver Directorate, Engineer Commandant Col. Tim Hudson and Future Capabilities Director Col. Hector Montemayor. The Army said the demonstration showed how autonomous obstacle delivery can help shape the battlespace at speed while reducing risk to combat engineers.
The Autonomous Volcano uses the M139 Volcano mine dispenser, which can lay up to 960 mines to create a barrier about 120 meters wide and 1,100 meters long. The system is mounted on a Palletized Load System A1 truck and operates with an autonomous By-Wire/Active Safety Kit.
The Army said autonomous obstacle delivery can preserve combat power by removing engineers from danger zones and the forward line of troops. It also allows multi-vehicle remote firings, enabling friendly forces to disrupt an enemy before it can react.
The system provides digital precision by automatically logging and inserting exact obstacle coordinates into the Common Operating Picture for joint coordination. In the first live-fire scenario, four Soldiers from the 576th Combat Engineer Company – Armored, 4th Engineering Battalion remotely fired M88 canisters from an M139 Volcano for the first time.
A second scenario tested the robotic autonomy of the system by emplacing two distinct fix and disrupt minefields in two separate areas at the same time. The Army said Autonomous Volcano achieved the objective without human interference.
The original M139 Volcano was developed in the 1980s during the final years of the Cold War. It consisted of a Volcano dispensing system mounted on the Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck.
The move to an autonomous variant involved integrating the system into a Palletized Load System with the Forterra autonomy stack. “Autonomous Volcano leverages low-cost modernization to turn a legacy platform into a high-yield autonomous asset – securing asymmetric overmatch and closing a critical area-denial gap,” said Col. Vinson Morris, Project Manager Close Combat Systems.
“It’s an example of how the Army is embracing the ‘fight tonight’ concept where readiness is not a static goal but a continuous process of adaptation and improvement.” The Army said the program reflects cooperation between the United States and the United Kingdom, as well as collaboration across Army organizations.
The Autonomous Volcano is a joint program between the Army and the UK. The effort involved combining vehicles managed by CPE Combat Logistics with munitions developed under the Product Manager Terrain Shaping Obstacles team within the Project Manager Close Combat Systems office.
Product Manager Terrain Shaping Obstacles worked with the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command’s Armaments Center and Ground Vehicle Systems Center, as well as industry partner Forterra. The Army said the work was intended to ensure interoperability between platforms and munitions while improving operational effectiveness and logistics.
“This joint effort aligns directly with integrated deterrence. Our partnership with the UK on this development ensures seamless allied interoperability and shared Research and Development, strengthening our combined coalition posture,” said Bernie Theisen, Chief Technology Officer, DEVCOM GVSC.
The Army said the Volcano system demonstrates its ability to deliver integrated solutions for complex battlefield requirements. It said the collaboration also reflects the Army Transformation Initiative.
Following the Camp Grayling proof-of-concept demonstration, the Autonomous Volcano program is scheduled to demonstrate its capabilities at Project Convergence Capstone 6 at Fort Irwin, California. The Army said the next phase will support the transition from prototyping to operational testing.
Soldiers are scheduled to operate the system in multiple realistic scenarios on July 13. The system is also expected to be included in the “Best of Breed” demonstration to the Secretary of the Army on July 29.
