a heads-up display (HUD) mounted on a helmet of a user, wherein the HUD comprises four multi-modal buttons located virtually on a user interface (UI), with the four multi-modal buttons being a manual, a voice, a gesture and a brain sensory sensor;

a one-hand-operable controller mountable on a weapon or tool carried by the user; and

an unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) and an associated unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) or unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV);

wherein: the one-hand operable controller comprises switches to communicate with the UGV and/or UAV (or UUV), and operation of the ARES with the virtual, manual multi-modal button which is given command priority over the other three multi-modal buttons to execute autonomous control of the UGV and/or UAV or UUV reduces visual and mental cognitive loads on the user, enhances the user's situation awareness, enhances decision making with reduced risks, and allows the user to maintain mission-critical, time-critical or safety-critical readiness, thereby to achieve task effectiveness and mission success.