CMI2-led experimentation event advanced evaluation of emerging technologies and operational capabilities in realistic training environments
TAMPA, Fla. — Soldiers from the 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) and the Montana Army National Guard participated in the second Rapid Operational Innovation Detachment (ROID) Driving Innovation in Realistic Training (DIRT) Days 26-02 experimentation event, conducted April 20–24, 2026, at the Limestone Hills Training Area near Townsend, Montana. The event was led by U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) in partnership with the Civil-Military Innovation Institute (CMI2) and the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Army Research Laboratory (DEVCOM ARL).
Building on the success of the inaugural event held in late February, ROID DIRT Days 26-02 marked the second operational experimentation event planned and executed by CMI2 in fewer than 70 days. Both events focused on counter-unmanned aerial systems (C-UAS) and contested logistics operations, reinforcing efforts to rapidly evaluate emerging technologies in operationally relevant environments.
The April event expanded upon tactics, techniques, and operational insights identified during ROID 26-01, refining experimentation objectives to address evolving battlefield conditions and emerging operational challenges. The initiative supports ongoing efforts to enhance mission readiness, lethality, and combat effectiveness across future Army and Joint Force operations.
“ROID DIRT Days demonstrates how rapidly we can accelerate capability development when operators, technologists, and industry partners work side-by-side in realistic operational environments,” said Joy Shanaberger, Chief Technology Officer, CENTCOM. “By integrating Soldier feedback directly into experimentation and refinement, we are strengthening the Joint Force’s ability to adapt emerging technologies to evolving operational challenges at speed and scale.”
Throughout the event, Soldiers collaborated with industry partners to evaluate experimentation scenarios and operational concepts relevant to both Army Special Operations Forces and conventional Army formations. Activities focused on assessing emerging technologies and tactics applicable to counter-unmanned aerial systems (C-UAS) and contested logistics operations in operationally realistic conditions. CMI2 also evaluated concepts and capabilities designed for use across active-duty and reserve-component forces, ensuring relevance to the broader Joint Force operating within the CENTCOM area of responsibility.
“DIRT Days represents a deliberate effort to shorten the distance between concept and combat relevance,” said LTC Bryan Cercy, Operations Officer, Rapid Employment Joint Task Force, CENTCOM. “By embedding Soldiers directly into experimentation, we ensure innovation is informed by real-world operational needs.”
A cornerstone of the event was direct Soldier feedback. Daily discussions and close collaboration between operators, researchers, and developers ensured end-user insights remained central to technology evaluation and refinement. This bottom-up innovation model enables rapid iteration and increases the likelihood that emerging capabilities will meet operational demands in future combat environments.
“The successful execution of this event establishes a strong foundation for future ROID initiatives and demonstrates the urgency of accelerating technology from concept to operational use,” said Paul Coffy, CMI2 program manager. “The positive feedback from Soldiers participating in the exercise reinforced the value of evaluating emerging technologies in realistic training environments, while highlighting the broader potential for ROID events to support innovation and capability development across additional combatant commands.”
For MTARNG Soldiers, the exercise focused on unmanned aircraft vehicles (UAV) construction in a contested logistics environment while introducing emerging capabilities in drone manufacturing and flight operations that support data collection and Soldier-driven technology feedback. Soldiers collaborated directly with CMI2 and industry partners to provide operational insights on manufacturing processes and flight operations, enabling rapid iteration and innovation. Within three days, Soldiers successfully completed full UAV builds and conducted flight experimentation and testing.
The continued success of ROID DIRT Days demonstrates the value of collaborative experimentation among operational units, research organizations, and industry partners. By rapidly integrating Soldier feedback with emerging technologies in realistic training environments, CENTCOM, CMI2, and DEVCOM ARL are accelerating the development of adaptable, mission-ready capabilities to meet evolving operational demands across the Joint Force.
Additional Resources
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