IARC Venue- U.S. Army Soldier Battle Lab

McKenna Urban Operations Site

Fort Benning, Georgia

The McKenna Urban Operations Site offers a variety of features that fit perfectly for the mission of the IARC. This site is routinely used by the U.S. Army Soldier Battle Lab in the conduct of training exercises, experimentation with aerial and ground unmanned platforms, and testing of new equipment and concepts for the U.S. Army and other Armed Forces.

The site has 430 acres in which to maneuver, including a 3700- foot runway and a helicopter-landing pad. It is located far enough from the main post to offer a clean environment and yet close enough for participants to reach all the accommodations and facilities offered in nearby Columbus. The U.S. Army Soldier Battle Lab routinely schedules sole-use of the facility in the conduct and support of programs that warrant it. Sole-use of the site is a scheduling issue, easily handled through coordination with Fort Benning Range Control personnel. 

The actual site contains 15 European style urban structures ranging from 1-3 stories (see Figure 1). All the buildings are set up and designated as real-world everyday, commonly found structures.

Figure 1. Aerial view of the McKenna Urban Operations site. The circled buildings are fully instrumented.

The circled buildings (in Figure 1) are fully instrumented with a non-intrusive package that allows for data and events to be recorded. Over 60 indoor and outdoor cameras are present on the site, and several vehicle-mounted and hand-held portable cameras are available. All cameras are day/night capable with the aid of low wattage infrared illuminators. A two-way audio system is also present on the site and allows for communication between individuals involved in the event, both indoors and out, and the Master Control Facility (MCF). The operator in the MCF can remotely operate the lights, cameras, and limited battlefield effects.

Competitors can securely store their platforms and associated equipment on the site in three buildings (Figure 2) Adjoining areas offer a motor pool (limited space) and a fenced storage area (Figure 3). The site is occupied by staffers during the hours of daylight, and U.S. Army Soldier Battle Lab personnel supporting the event will be available at all hours for the duration of the competition. The site is guarded by a small staff of guards from approximately 4:00 PM to 7:00 AM. Competitors will have 24-hour access to the facility, to include a triple wide trailer (Figure 3), routinely used by U.S. Army Soldier Battle Lab to billet off-post soldiers during experimentation events.  

Figure 2. Secure storage facilities available for the competition are circled.

Figure 3. Additional secure storage facilities, motor pool and billeting areas.

There are three one-story residences, with openings ranging from windows and doors to smaller odd-shaped holes (in walls) designed for entry into the building. The single and double windows and doors are of standard dimensions and the smaller odd-shaped holes are approximately 1 meter X .75 meter. Other one-story buildings include a radio station, church, school and jail facility. There are six two-story structures, one residential and five commercial. The commercial two-story buildings include a fire station with a large garage door sized opening (larger than 1 X 1 meter requirement), a residence with an equally proportioned opening, and a restaurant with a partially enclosed open-air café. There is also one three-story commercial building with numerous openings to include a room-sized entrance to the subterranean tunnel facility.  

Figure 4. This diagram shows the locations and building designations on McKenna.

The indoor cameras, one or more in every room, hallway, and stairwell of the instrumented buildings, would be ideal for capturing the flying of the platforms into the buildings and their search for the designated target.

The U.S. Army Soldier Battle Lab is currently working on modifying the soldier tracking devices so that they may be compatible with some or all of the Aerial Robots entered in the competition. If successful, these devices could be mounted on the competing platforms and, using ultrasound and Global Positioning System technology, they could be tracked inside and outside to within inches. This information could be gathered and then displayed on an overhead 2-D display in the MCF. In addition, using the 3-D display and a joystick in the MCF, the operator can “fly” around the village and observe platforms in action. This capability also allows us to “remove the walls”, to get an un-obscured view of the platforms inside the buildings. All recordings (audio, video, 2-D and 3-D displays) are stored digitally on up to 40 different recorders, which allows for playback of some of them while others are in progress.

The outdoor cameras are capable of filming the 3-km ingress of the platforms and the 430 acres of maneuver area are perfect for this (Figure 5). This area is unencumbered by extraneous flight hazards. Power lines are present on the site itself, but not in the ingress area. There are no no-fly zones and the majority of the area is extremely open. The open terrain is easily reached and can be used for emergency landings. It also offers room for the 3-km ingress.

Figure 5. Large area directly behind the McKenna site. This area could be used for the 3 km ingress.

The MCF and adjoining buildings are air-conditioned and come with a shower, and several restroom facilities. The After Action Review (AAR) room comfortably seats approximately 100 personnel and has a large viewing screen to allow for briefings, meetings, and remote viewing of the competition by visitors. The room is tied into the instrumentation package and the MCF. This will allow any visitors to the competition to view the events from the comfort and safety of an indoor facility. In the AAR room, visitors or competing teams could view the competition in real imagery as it happens. The 2-D and 3-D footage can be recorded and played back afterward. The MCF is a complete package and offers the clean, “computer grade” power required at the launch site. 

The U.S. Army Soldier Battle Lab, in the conduct of experimentation and training events, routinely coordinates for and uses the airspace surrounding the facility. Several Unmanned Aerial Robots are already on hand and could be used to record footage of the competition. Several U.S. Army Soldier Battle Lab personnel are experienced operators of Unmanned Aerial Robots, and members of the staff are experienced in filming, data recording, and recovery operations. With proper coordination, the U.S. Army medical units here on Fort Benning can be tasked to provide on-site support. Martin Army Community Hospital is approximately 5 miles from McKenna. The Columbus area has three hospitals and all can be reached in less than 30 minutes. Battle Lab Project Officers and Program Managers work with an abundance of high technology devices that require coordination with the Fort Benning Frequency Management Office. The Frequency Management Office provides excellent support to U.S. Army Soldier Battle Lab projects.  We will work closely with them to ensure that there are no conflicts between the Aerial Robots involved in the competition and the local frequency spectrum and emitters.

Most of the competitors will fly into Atlanta Hartsfield International Airport, which is approximately 111 miles (116 minutes) from Fort Benning. Delta Airlines and Northwest Airlines offer connecting flights into Columbus Municipal Airport, which is a short 20-25 minute drive from Fort Benning. Foreign nationals, with valid permission to be in the United States, carrying proper identification and documentation, will be granted access to the facility.

There are at least 10 major-chain hotels in the Columbus area, ranging from Days Inn to Hilton. All these are 30 minutes or less from the site of the competition. Also within 30 minutes driving time are numerous restaurants, ranging from typical fast food franchises (McDonalds, Wendy’s, Taco Bell etc…) to local restaurants offering good meals at reasonable prices. The U.S. Army Soldier Battle Lab routinely coordinates with several local restaurants to provide on site catering and meal service at McKenna.

The climate in the Columbus/Fort Benning area during the months of June, July, and August is suitable to the competition. Normal mean temperatures for the three months are 79.2 degrees, 82 degrees, and 81.3 degrees, respectively. During the month of June, the area normally receives approximately 3.5 inches of rain, with 5.04 inches in July, and 3.78 inches in August.