Army’s Robotic Combat Vehicle Program Nears Key Decision Point
The U.S. Army is getting closer to choosing the base platform for its Robotic Combat Vehicle (RCV) program. The decision, slated for Spring of next year, will select one vendor from a group of four that are currently competing. Each vendor was tasked to design and build prototypes for the system.
An Army RCV prototype undergoing testing.
Initially, the Army considered RCVs of various sizes, but the focus has shifted to a single platform size. This platform will be able to keep pace with crewed combat vehicles. The plan is for this platform to be equipped with different mission payloads to fulfill various roles on the battlefield.
Each vendor delivered two prototypes in August. These are currently being assessed at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland. According to Maj. Gen. Glenn Dean, the program executive officer for ground combat systems, the selection process is on schedule.
Once the base platform is chosen, the selected vendor will produce eight more prototypes for the next phase. Dean shared that the requirements are ‘tiered’ meaning additional features will be added in the second round of prototypes.
Funding is a key consideration in this process. While the Army would prefer to have as many vendors involved as possible, financial constraints have made it necessary to narrow the field.
The Armored Multipurpose Vehicle (AMPV) has been selected as the control vehicle for the robots. This decision was made to permit the control vehicle to keep pace with the initial unit that will receive the robots. That first unit is slated to be a platoon within an Armored Brigade Combat Team.
The service assessed several options for control vehicles, including the Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles and Stryker combat vehicles. The consensus of the user community pointed to the AMPV.
Soldiers training with combat vehicles.
A training unit at the National Training Center found that a control vehicle distinct from other vehicles became an easy target. The opposing force in training scenarios capitalized on this, targeting the control vehicles to disable the robots. Therefore, the AMPV was chosen because it is already used in the same formations as the RCVs.
The initial deployment of the RCVs is anticipated in fiscal year 2028. The control vehicle contract is planned for fiscal year 2025, as the AMPV requires approximately two years for production. Integration work to make the AMPV a control vehicle will occur between fiscal years 2027 and 2028.
Developing off-road autonomy software presents a major challenge. The Army conducted an assessment of off-road autonomy software in June. The assessment indicated that while progress is being made, the industry is still far from achieving the desired level of autonomous capability.
A technician working on military hardware.
Further evaluations are planned, including one in December. Three companies are collaborating with the Bradley’s Next-Generation Combat Vehicle Cross Functional Team and PEO GCS on autonomy – Forterra, Kodiak Robotics and Overland AI.
So far, evaluations of autonomous behavior have primarily involved trails and roads, rather than truly off-road conditions. Developing algorithms that can cope with the wide variety of conditions it might encounter is challenging because of the large dataset required.
The June evaluation involved a test where the robot was required to cross a creek and navigate switchbacks. However, this proved difficult. Dean noted that the algorithms struggled with identifying the difference between a puddle and a cliff, and human intervention was needed.
Even with the need for human intervention, Dean stated that it is still preferable to continuous tele-operation due to latency issues at various ranges and speeds.
Based on a major training event at Fort Irwin, California, this summer, robots demonstrated the capacity to enhance reconnaissance and security efforts, especially for extended observation and security posts. However, the service continues to address trade-offs concerning power, range, and decision-making at a distance.
The bandwidth needed to transmit 4K video, required for making informed “shoot, don’t shoot” decisions can affect how far the robots can travel. It also impacts the degree of control a remote operator maintains.
Robot combat vehicles in a training exercise.
Diagram illustrating different aspects of robotic combat vehicle technology.
