Army AL&T, April-June 2008
Abstract
With this issue, we are showcasing the Army's Future Combat Systems (FCS) in a series of articles designed to give you a better understanding of just how far this program has progressed since System Development and Demonstration began in 2003. One may think that FCS is only about providing future capabilities to our Soldiers, but FCS-like capabilities are protecting our Soldiers and giving them a decisive advantage on today's battlefield. Let me provide a few examples. The Frag Kit 5 armor protection for up-armored High-Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles protects our troops from powerful improvised explosive devices. This technology comes from the lightweight composite armor being developed for the FCS family of manned ground vehicles (MGVs). The Micro-Air Vehicle, highly effective in U.S. Navy explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) operations in Iraq and planned for use by the Army's 25th Infantry Division in urban warfare operations there, is a forerunner to the FCS Class 1 Unmanned Aerial Vehicle. The Packbot, which is used by Soldiers and Marines in Iraq and Afghanistan during urban warfare and EOD operations, is the precursor to the FCS Small Unmanned Ground Vehicle. And, the Excalibur artillery round that is having much success in Iraq is being adapted for use with the FCS Non-Line-of-Sight Cannon. These technologies, in development for the future, are proving their success in the current fight.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 2008
- Accession Number
- ADA491163