In response to the Western Front-like stalemate seen in the Ukraine war, the U.S. Army is getting innovative. Sean Shields, commander of the 20th Engineer Brigade, joins host Tom Spahr to discuss his unit's "Sand Hills Project," an initiative born from observing the mobility challenges faced by Ukrainian forces. The project’s goal is to figure out how to breach modern, complex obstacle belts and restore maneuver to the battlefield, all while keeping soldiers out of harm's way. To achieve this, the project utilizes cheap, expendable, and scalable robotic ground and air vehicles to overwhelm and reduce enemy defenses. This is part one of a two-part series about the 20th Engineer Brigade.