The Maneuver Center of Excellence and Fort Moore have inaugurated the Maneuver Innovation Lab, marking the first time a collaborative hub has opened in the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, or TRADOC, installation.
The Army said Wednesday the MIL was established in collaboration with the Maneuver Battle Lab, U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command, the Civil-Military Innovation Institute and Columbus State University. The collaborative hub is designed to foster innovation and modernization by empowering soldiers, academics and industry leaders and encouraging them to work together.
MIL’s 3 Core Components
The MIL fosters innovation through three elements:
DIRT Lab
The Design, Innovation, Research and Technology, or DIRT, Lab is a rapid prototyping and problem-solving platform, sponsored by DEVCOM and operated by the Civil-Military Innovation Institute, where soldiers work with Auburn University through the Catalyst Pathfinder Program to develop innovations.
Robotics & Uncrewed Systems With CSU
The collaboration with Columbus State University’s Robotic Engineering Department provides students with resources and real-world experience in an Army setting, where they can design, build and experiment with robotic and uncrewed systems. The partnership also allows CSU students to interact with leaders and innovators from the Army and the industry.
EXFOR
The Uncrewed Systems Experimentation Facility, or EXFOR, allows soldiers to experiment in a controlled environment enabling rapid assessment and enhancement of small unmanned aerial systems and unmanned ground systems.
Maj. Gen. Colin Tuley, commanding general of Fort Moore, said, “At the core of the Maneuver Innovation Lab lies the concept of bottom-up innovation, where soldiers are empowered to transform their ideas into prototypes and collaborate with our academic partners to drive technical solutions.”
