Ground Combat Systems

The United States ground combat vehicle industry is soon reaching a crossroads between the production of legacy ground combat systems, which remain in high demand, and the need for new autonomous ground combat capabilities. These new systems and capabilities will not only be developed in an environment of constrained budgets, but in a time of increasing international insecurity with peer competitors. In preparation for a possible future conflict, the Department of Defense has introduced the Replicator initiative, which seeks to encourage the production and adoption of large quantities of attritable autonomous systems. Congressional committees, elements within the Department of Defense, particularly the US Army, and the defense industrial base have come together to tackle the difficult technological challenges and develop candidate systems for Replicator. Our Industry Study has met with leading firms in the current ground combat vehicle industry, studied the issues, and identified several recommendations to help focus the stakeholders on a clearer path for the development and adoption of more attritable and autonomous ground combat systems. We assess that the US Army should develop an overall resourcing strategy focused on autonomous systems and develop a strategy to engage directly with Congress to discuss the implications of Replicator. The Ground Combat Systems Industry study has also identified the Robotic Combat Vehicle (RCV) as the most likely candidate for the Replicator initiative, and we would recommend the allocation of additional funding for multiple RCV variants to create the greatest amount of technological diversity. From our study we also recommend the Next Generational Combat Vehicle Cross-Functional Team assume greater risk in RCV technology by getting them into the hands of the warfighter sooner. We go on to suggest that the Program Executive Office Ground Combat Systems initiate additional rapid prototyping efforts with industry to drive innovation in unmanned ground combat vehicles. Our final recommendation to industry is the continued support of the modular open systems approach. Machine learning and artificial intelligence will be the true enabler of any candidate technology determined for Replicator and additional investment in the research and development behind this necessary capability are necessary to create enduring operational advantage. Without this key technology, we expect a slow adoption of RCVs and an inability to realize the benefits of integrating RCVs into military formations to enhance all six Army warfighting functions: command and control, intelligence, fires, maneuver, protection, and sustainment.

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