Combat Vehicle Improvement Programs

Abstract

This Program Element (PE) corrects vehicle deficiencies identified during Army operations; continues technical system upgrades to include the integration of applicable technologies on ground systems; addresses needed evolutionary enhancements to tracked combat vehicles; and develops technology improvements which have application to or insertion opportunities across multiple Ground Combat Systems vehicles. This PE provides combat effectiveness and Operating and Support (O&S) cost reduction enhancements for the Abrams tanks, Bradley Fighting Vehicles and Stryker Family of Vehicles (FOVs) through a series of product improvements. The strategy for Abrams and Bradley will focus on incrementally delivering capability to the warfighter to meet both near-term limitations as well as mitigating gaps and maintaining combat overmatch in the future. This effort was approved by the Army Acquisition Executive in 3Q FY 2011. The Abrams M1A2 SEP V2 and M2/M3A3 Bradley Fighting Vehicles are at or exceed Space, Weight, and Power-Cooling (SWaP-C) limitations. In order to host and restore lost platform capability, the Abrams Tank and Bradley Fighting Vehicle programs will execute a series of Engineering Change Proposals (ECPs) to support the current embedded systems and to facilitate integration of technologies currently in development under other existing Programs of Record. The ECPs are not intended to exceed the operational capability outlined in current system requirements documents, but rather to ensure that the existing system performance is not further degraded and that Army mission equipment packages can be integrated on the Abrams and Bradley Platforms. Stryker Improvement will address the development of Lethality, Survivability, Mobility, and Communication, Command and Control (C3) improvements within the Stryker Family of Vehicles (FoV). Principal development efforts include upgrades associated with the ECP 1, Operational Needs Statement Lethality (ONS), Stryker Survivability Enhancements, and ECP 2 efforts. ECP 1 power generation, suspension, and network upgrades will both restore Stryker Double-V Hull (DVH) Space, Weight, and Power-Cooling (SWaP-C) lost as a result of incorporating vehicle changes to counter threats encountered during deployment operations while allowing the future network to be hosted without further degradation in vehicle protection and mobility. The Stryker ONS Lethality effort will address an Urgent Operational Need to increase the firepower of Stryker Infantry Carrier Vehicles (ICV) within the US Army European Command (USAREUR). The ONS Lethality effort will integrate a 30mm-equipped weapon station that will provide USAREUR with precision direct firepower to overwhelm the enemy in encounter actions and suppressive fire to preserve mounted and dismounted freedom of movement. The Stryker Survivability Enhancement will address evolving threats by assessing survivability improvements, to include passive protection systems, active protection systems, and an under-armor fire capability for Stryker-equipped reconnaissance troops. The ECP 2 effort will focus on the integration a suite of complementary lethality upgrades (medium caliber weapon, under armor Javelin, common masted sensor, improved target acquisition optics, and other capabilities) that will improve the suppressive fire and armored vehicle engagement capabilities across the Army's Stryker Brigade Combat Teams (SBCTs). Light Armored Vehicle improvement program will design, test and modify two Light Armored Vehicles (LAV-25A2s) for Low Velocity Air Drop (LVAD) to inform operational concepts for Infantry Brigade Combat Teams (IBCT) in support of Global Response Force early entry operations. This will directly support the expeditionary maneuver excursion that will be conducted by the XVIII Airborne Corps in FY17-18. M113 improvements will develop an affordable solution for upgrading the M113s to enhance protection, survivability, mobility and power generation to support the current and future network systems. This will provide the necessary enhancements to the M113 capability for Echelons Above Brigade (EAB) units with priority to the forward deployed units and equipment sets. The Armored Multi Purpose Vehicle (AMPV) program will replace all M113 family of vehicles in Armored Brigade Combat Teams (ABCT). The Recovery Vehicle Improvement program is a group of ECPs that will allow the current recovery vehicle to regain Single Vehicle Recovery for the heaviest tracked combat vehicle. The current M88A2 is not capable of single vehicle recovery of the M1A2 SEPv2 in all situations and the M1A2 SEPv3 fielding in FY20 will further exacerbate the recovery problem.

Document Details

• Document Type: R2 Budgetary Justification
• Publication Date: Oct 01, 2018
• Source ID: 0203735A_7_2040_PB_2018
• Service Agency Name: Army

Entities

Organizations

• United States Army

Tags

Communities of Interest

• Cyber
• Electronic Warfare
• Energy and Power Technologies
• Human Systems
• Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

• Armored Personnel Carriers
• Armored Vehicles
• Combat Vehicles
• Command And Control
• Control Systems
• Cross Domain
• Detectors
• Developmental Tests
• Failure Mode And Effect Analysis
• Ground Control Stations
• Light Armored Vehicles
• Logistics
• Performance Tests
• Systems Engineering
• Test And Evaluation
• Test Facilities
• Warfare

Fields of Study

• Engineering

Readers

• Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Autonomous Capabilities and Mission Reconnaissance.

Technology Areas

• Fully Networked C3
• Fully Networked C3 - Command and Control
• Space