Robotic Combat Vehicle (RCV) NGCV-CFT
Abstract
Robotic Combat Vehicle (RCV) Prototyping effort will produce unmanned combat vehicle prototypes with the purpose of providing vehicles that Soldiers will use to develop new Concepts of Operations (CONOPS) and new requirements for unmanned combat vehicles to support Army Modernization priorities. Within RCV there are two major lines of effort executed in 3 phases: RCV Surrogate Experimental Unit Prototyping (Phase 1 & 2) and RCV Purpose Built Experimental Unit Prototyping (Phase 3). These efforts provide the basis for the Army to make the decision to move forward with a Robotic Combat Vehicle program transitioning from Technology Demonstrations to Program of Record through Modeling and Simulation (M&S) development and initial prototype testing and iterative Soldier evaluations. This will stress the autonomy systems developed within the Science and Technology (S&T) base and ultimately reduce Program of Record testing requirements, technical risks, and costs through studies and validated simulations in addition to helping the Next Generation Combat Vehicle Cross Functional Team (NGCV CFT) refine their RCV requirements and develop the CONOPS and Tactics, Techniques and Procedures (TTPs) for Manned / Unmanned Teaming (MUMT) in combat relevant missions. In order to accelerate user involvement with RCV platform capabilities, the RCV Surrogate Experimental Unit Prototyping effort will be executed through a two (2) phase activity. The RCV surrogate platform build (Phase 1) was initiated in FY19 under 0604017A Robotics Development, Project FD9 Robotics Systems and will conclude in this project with test and demonstration. This project will finalize Phase 1's rapid prototype build of surrogate RCV platforms using existing robotized vehicles and conduct Soldier evaluations at the platoon level (4 RCVs) through MUMT evaluations. Lessons learned from the platoon experiment will inform development of the purpose built RCV platforms (Phase 3) as well as inform S&T investment to help close gaps identified in unmanned vehicle performance. In order to conduct larger scale MUMT maneuvers and to continue to advance the autonomous performance of the robotic platforms, two additional platoons of surrogate RCVs will be built leveraging existing contractor unmanned platforms for a total of a company set (12) RCV. The surrogate company of RCVs (Phase 2) will be used for a second round of Soldier experimentation building off of the platoon exercises and providing additional refinement of CONOPs/TTPs with a representative operational formation and will provide a test bed for the latest autonomous capabilities developed in S&T. The RCV Purpose Built Experimental Unit Prototyping line of effort (Phase 3) will develop and produce innovative, unmanned platforms that take advantage of being designed specifically for unmanned combat operations such as reduced platform size and improved mobility. The intent is to award a minimum of two contracts to design and build up to a company of twelve (12) RCV platforms for user evaluation and experimentation starting at the end of FY 2022. The RCV platforms will incorporate mature technology capabilities transitioned from S&T as they become available to include the latest autonomous mobility capability, improved user control interfaces and advanced sensing and aided target recognition. The Purpose Built RCV platform requirements will be informed by the initial surrogate platoon experimentation (Phase 1) and Soldier feedback. The surrogate company experimentation (Phase 2) will inform how the purpose built RCVs will be used in a representative formation as well as reducing risk on critical software enabled capabilities such as the latest autonomous behaviors, mission command of multiple RCVs in an effective MUMT formation and Soldier control stations for RCV. Ultimately the purpose of this line of effort is to determine if RCV is ready to enter a rapid acquisition program of record or if the capability needs more development before it is operationally effective.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Project
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2020
- Source ID
- CF4_0604017A_4_2040_PB_2020
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