ARMY NEWS

Army Speeds Up Manned-Unmanned Combat Vehicle Test Schedule

3/27/2018
By Connie Lee

Photo: Army

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — The Army plans to field its first series of experimental robotic combat vehicles as early as 2019, service officials said March 26.  

The work will involve creating manned and autonomous prototypes designed to work together, according to Brig. Gen. David Lesperance, the director of the next-generation combat vehicle cross-functional team. The Army has long cited the need to develop new combat vehicles while it relies on incrementally upgrading its current systems for near-term use.

"Imagine making contact with the enemy with an unmanned robot and allowing a decision-maker to understand quicker and then make a better decision out of contact. Then move to a position of advantage to deliver decisive lethality in a way that we do not do now in 100 percent manned platforms," he said March 26 at the Association of the United States Army's Global Force Symposium in Huntsville, Alabama.

The service has already begun the first phase of the work, which involves developing two manned fighting experimental prototypes and four unmanned platforms, he noted. The vehicles are scheduled to be delivered in the fourth quarter of 2019, he said.

“They’ll go through an official safety certification test through [Army Test and Evaluation Command] and then in first quarter of ‘20, issue those to units for extended experimentation and evaluation, which includes both live-fire and force-on-force maneuver events,” he noted.  

A second phase will include a set of “purpose-built” vehicles to be delivered to ATEC in 2021. Testing those systems with units is scheduled for the second quarter of 2022, he said.

This step will be different in that it is focused on examining what ideas industry has to offer for the platforms, said Col. James Schirmer, project manager for armored fighting vehicles.

Rather than provide companies with a “traditional prescriptive list” of what it wants, the service intends to “draw a larger box and see what industry can provide,” he said.

“Phase one focuses on manned-unmanned teaming and starting to solve some of the technical problems about how a crew controls a vehicle that’s distant … what sort of displays do we use, how do we make this feasible. Phase two will be the art of the possible for the whole system,” he said.

Phase three will involve delivering prototypes in the first quarter of 2023 for ATEC testing. They will be sent to units for further testing in in the fourth quarter of 2023, Lesperance said.

“And this is a seven-manned fighting vehicle, 14 robotic combat vehicle unit set that has the potential not only to be used at home station, but also to be taken by a unit to go to one of our combat training centers for more rigorous, realistic combat training center rotational ... stress,” he said.  

Both the manned and unmanned systems will need to be operationally adept in dense, urban environments, Gen. Robert Abrams, Forces Command commander noted.

"It's got to be 10 [times] better than our current fleet and guarantee our overmatch into the future," he said.  Besides autonomy, the service is also examining ways to integrate directed energy, vehicle protection suites, and advanced armor, he noted.

Topics: Army News, Robotics and Autonomous Systems, Robotics

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Comments (2)

Re: Army Speeds Up Manned-Unmanned Combat Vehicle Test Schedule

None of the press releases about manned-unmanned teaming seem to address the cyber vulnerabilities that such a force presents. I am not arguing we should not be exploring manned-unmanned teaming, but we need to challenge the assumption that we will have strong, secure, robust networks. We also need to explore how such a system can be detected through its RF emanations. We used to say what can be seen can be hit, and what can be hit can be killed. We need to be thinking, what emanates can be hit, and what can be hit can be killed.

Buck Surdu at 10:19 AM
Re: Army Speeds Up Manned-Unmanned Combat Vehicle Test Schedule

The US Army should develop a cheap, relatively light armored, but heavily armed robotic vehicle solely for Second and Third World export use. I say this because exported HMMWVs and M1117 ASVs with their M2HB .50cals and MK-19 40mm grenade launchers don’t always cut it in a firefight, especially against IFVs, APCs, and AFVs. M1A1 tanks are overkill in insurgency warfare and I know that the US Army doesn’t want to export complex and expensive M2A2 Bradleys, Paladins, HiMARS, or Strykers to these Allied countries.

What is needed is a robotic vehicle that is small to air transport, cheap enough to afford to be destroyed, simple enough to operate and maintain, rugged, yet packs a 25mm to 40mm or even a 90mm cannon that has a good fire control and an outdated 1st Generation night vision system. It needs to be the basic form of Mobile Protected Firepower (simple light rubber tracks or tireless mesh wheels) for allied troops to use. Perhaps it could be manned or unmanned, but seriously, Allied forces will need more firepower than 12.7mm or 40mm grenades that have no stability no night vision fire control system guidance. The US Army won’t want this robotic vehicle as it’s too cheap with outdated tech (except for the gun), yet surely Allied armies would consider this new ground combat vehicle priceless for its heavy firepower. Currently one needs a M1A1, M2, M3, or Stryker to achieve anything over MK-19 or M2HB firepower.

krashnovians at 2:48 PM
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