Air Force Teams Up with MITRE for Esports Tournament to Improve Combat Preparedness

The Air Force has joined forces with MITRE, a non-profit national security organization, to launch an esports tournament aimed at enhancing the readiness of service members in facing complex combat situations. According to a report by Military.com, MITRE believes this tournament will help the Air Force gain a better understanding of mission logistics and prioritization under attack scenarios.

MITRE has initiated registration for the game "Drone Guardians," in which teams will need to protect a deployed airfield from enemy assaults while ensuring the capability to launch aircraft missions.

What's in the Game?

"Drone Guardians" blends elements of first-person shooters, strategy, and puzzle games. Players will face a wide array of threats, including attacks from land, air, sea, space, and cyberattacks, often all at once. To succeed, participants must collaborate in determining which areas to defend while keeping the airfield operational for combat missions.

Critical Decision-Making

Teams will encounter pivotal mission decisions, such as choosing between readying aircraft for launch or defending the air base. They may also need to develop a contested logistics strategy to ensure necessary supplies are available for mission completion, as described on the MITRE website.

Real-Life Implications

The game's purpose is to help the Air Force collect data that can enhance the safety and logistics of actual airbases, potentially saving the lives of those tasked with defending them.

Why It Matters

Eliahu Niewood, Vice President of Air and Space Forces for MITRE, emphasized the vulnerability of military logistics networks, even without adversary intervention. These networks can be susceptible to disruptions and attacks. Niewood noted that during military operations, logistics decisions could be under attack, making it vital to test logistics choices thoroughly.

A Tradition of Gaming in Training

This isn't the first time the military has used video games for training. In 1993, a Super Nintendo game was created to help the Army train soldiers for marksmanship. Later, the Army partnered with Raytheon to develop a virtual reality combat simulator capable of tracking a soldier's full-body movements.

The Tournament Locations

The MITRE esports tournaments will take place at three different locations: Shaw Air Force Base in South Carolina, MITRE headquarters in McLean, Virginia, and the MITRE regional office in San Antonio, Texas. The Shaw Air Force Base tournament will occur on Sept. 22-23, the Virginia event on Oct. 13-14, and the Texas event on Oct. 20-21.