Next Generation Combat Vehicle
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The Next Generation Combat Vehicle (NGCV) is a
United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...
program intended to procure a variety of armored vehicles to add new capabilities to Army units and replace existing platforms that are nearing the end of their service life. The program covers the following systems: * Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV), the replacement for the
M113 The M113 is a fully tracked armored personnel carrier (APC) that was developed and produced by the FMC Corporation. The M113 was sent to United States Army Europe in 1961 to replace the mechanized infantry's M59 APCs. The M113 was first used ...
. * XM30 Mechanized Infantry Combat Vehicle (MICV), the replacement for the
M2 Bradley The M2 Bradley, or Bradley IFV, is an American infantry fighting vehicle that is a member of the Bradley Fighting Vehicle family. It is manufactured by BAE Systems Land & Armaments (formerly United Defense) and entered service in 1981, with fi ...
IFV, formerly known as the Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle (OMFV) * Mobile Protected Firepower (MPF),
fire support Fire support is a military tactics term used to describe weapons fire used to support friendly forces by engaging, suppressing, or destroying enemy forces, facilities, or materiel in combat. It is often provided through indirect fire, though th ...
vehicle for Infantry Brigade Combat Teams (IBCTs), that resulted in the M10 Booker. * Robotic Combat Vehicle (RCV), three
unmanned ground vehicle An unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) also known colloquially as armored robot (ARB) is a vehicle that operates while in contact with the ground without an onboard human presence. UGVs can be used for many applications where it is inconvenient, dan ...
s in light, medium, and heavy configurations. * Decisive Lethality Platform (DLP), the replacement for the
M1 Abrams The M1 Abrams () is a third-generation American main battle tank designed by Chrysler Defense (now General Dynamics Land Systems) and named for General Creighton Abrams. Conceived for modern armored ground warfare, it is one of the heavies ...
main battle tank.Cru
(Sep 2023) M1 Abrams Outdated for Modern Warfare? US Shifts Focus to M1E3 Abrams For New Battlefield Challenges
Army Science Board studying M1E3


Development

The project began in 2017 after the previous
Ground Combat Vehicle The Ground Combat Vehicle (GCV) was a program initiated by the United States Army in 2009, with the goal of developing a next-generation armored fighting vehicle. The first variant of the GCV to be developed would be an infantry fighting vehicle ...
program was canceled. The deadline of the projects is expected to be 2035. Multiple groups competed for the bid. The
Army An army, ground force or land force is an armed force that fights primarily on land. In the broadest sense, it is the land-based military branch, service branch or armed service of a nation or country. It may also include aviation assets by ...
gave the contract to a six member consortium -
Lockheed Martin The Lockheed Martin Corporation is an American Arms industry, defense and aerospace manufacturer with worldwide interests. It was formed by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta on March 15, 1995. It is headquartered in North ...
, SAIC, GS Engineering, Inc.,
Moog Inc. Moog Inc. ( ) is an American-based designer and manufacturer of electric, electro-hydraulic and hydraulic motion, controls and systems for applications in aerospace, defense, industrial and medical devices. The company operates under four segmen ...
, Hodges Transportation Inc. and Roush Industries.


Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle

The Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV) is the replacement for the
M113 The M113 is a fully tracked armored personnel carrier (APC) that was developed and produced by the FMC Corporation. The M113 was sent to United States Army Europe in 1961 to replace the mechanized infantry's M59 APCs. The M113 was first used ...
. In 2014, the Army selected
BAE Systems BAE Systems plc is a British Multinational corporation, multinational Aerospace industry, aerospace, military technology, military and information security company, based in London. It is the largest manufacturer in Britain as of 2017. It is ...
' proposal of a turretless variant of the
Bradley Fighting Vehicle The Bradley Fighting Vehicle (BFV) is an American continuous track, tracked armored fighting vehicle of the United States developed by FMC Corporation and now manufactured by BAE Systems Land & Armaments, formerly United Defense. It is named for ...
. the program was scheduled to deliver 2,897 AMPVs in five variants.


Mobile Protected Firepower

Mobile Protected Firepower is a
fire support Fire support is a military tactics term used to describe weapons fire used to support friendly forces by engaging, suppressing, or destroying enemy forces, facilities, or materiel in combat. It is often provided through indirect fire, though th ...
vehicle. It is similar to the M8 Armored Gun System program canceled in 1996, or the
M1128 mobile gun system The M1128 mobile gun system (MGS) is an eight-wheeled assault gun of the Stryker family, mounting a M68 (tank gun), 105 mm tank gun, based on the Canadian LAV III light-armored vehicle manufactured by General Dynamics Land Systems for the U.S. A ...
being retired in 2022. In November 2019, the Army released a request for proposals for the Mobile Protected Firepower. In December 2018, the Army downselected
BAE Systems BAE Systems plc is a British Multinational corporation, multinational Aerospace industry, aerospace, military technology, military and information security company, based in London. It is the largest manufacturer in Britain as of 2017. It is ...
' and
General Dynamics Land Systems General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) is an American manufacturer of military vehicles, including tanks and light Armoured fighting vehicle, armored fighting vehicles. The company is based in Sterling Heights, Michigan, and is a subsidiary of Gen ...
' proposals to move forward. BAE offered a vehicle based on the M8 Armored Gun System. GDLS offered a variant of the Griffin II. On June 28, 2022, the Army selected the GDLS Griffin II light tank as the winner of the MPF program, with an initial contract for 96 vehicles. In June 2023, the Army designated the Mobile Protected Firepower combat vehicle as the M10 Booker after
Private Private or privates may refer to: Music * "In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorded ...
Robert D. Booker, who was killed in the
North African campaign The North African campaign of World War II took place in North Africa from 10 June 1940 to 13 May 1943, fought between the Allies and the Axis Powers. It included campaigns in the Libyan and Egyptian deserts (Western Desert campaign, Desert Wa ...
during
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, and
Staff Sergeant Staff sergeant is a Military rank, rank of non-commissioned officer used in the armed forces of many countries. It is also a police rank in some police services. History of title In origin, certain senior sergeants were assigned to administr ...
Stevon Booker, who was a tank commander during the Battle of Baghdad.


XM30 Mechanized Infantry Combat Vehicle

The XM30 Mechanized Infantry Combat Vehicle (MICV), formerly known as the Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle (OMFV) is the Army's replacement for the
M2 Bradley The M2 Bradley, or Bradley IFV, is an American infantry fighting vehicle that is a member of the Bradley Fighting Vehicle family. It is manufactured by BAE Systems Land & Armaments (formerly United Defense) and entered service in 1981, with fi ...
. In June 2018, the Army established the Next Generation Combat Vehicle (NGCV) program to replace the M2 Bradley. In October 2018, the program was re-designated as the Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle (OMFV). The NGCV program was expanded as a portfolio of next-generation vehicles including tanks and the Bradley-based Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle. In March 2019, the Army released a request for proposals for the OMFV. The Army said the OMFV will be designed "to engage in close combat and deliver decisive lethality during the execution of combined arms maneuver," and will have a 30mm cannon and a second-generation
forward looking infrared Forward-looking infrared (FLIR) cameras, typically used on military and civilian aircraft, use a thermographic camera that senses infrared radiation. The sensors installed in forward-looking infrared cameras, as well as those of other thermal ...
system, or FLIR. Testing of the vehicle is expected to begin in 2020. A joint venture between
Raytheon Raytheon is a business unit of RTX Corporation and is a major U.S. defense contractor and industrial corporation with manufacturing concentrations in weapons and military and commercial electronics. Founded in 1922, it merged in 2020 with Unite ...
and
Rheinmetall Rheinmetall AG () is a German automotive and arms manufacturer, headquartered in Düsseldorf, Germany. The group was promoted to the DAX, Germany's leading stock market index, in March 2023. It is the largest German and fifth largest Europe ...
offered a variant of the Lynx KF41.
General Dynamics Land Systems General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) is an American manufacturer of military vehicles, including tanks and light Armoured fighting vehicle, armored fighting vehicles. The company is based in Sterling Heights, Michigan, and is a subsidiary of Gen ...
offered a variant of the Griffin III. Both Raytheon-Rheinmetall and GDLS were disqualified, leaving no other competitors. The Army decided to restart the program with less-stringent guidelines. In July 2021, the Army awarded contracts to five teams: Point Blank Enterprises, Oshkosh Defense,
BAE Systems BAE Systems plc is a British Multinational corporation, multinational Aerospace industry, aerospace, military technology, military and information security company, based in London. It is the largest manufacturer in Britain as of 2017. It is ...
,
General Dynamics Land Systems General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) is an American manufacturer of military vehicles, including tanks and light Armoured fighting vehicle, armored fighting vehicles. The company is based in Sterling Heights, Michigan, and is a subsidiary of Gen ...
and American
Rheinmetall Rheinmetall AG () is a German automotive and arms manufacturer, headquartered in Düsseldorf, Germany. The group was promoted to the DAX, Germany's leading stock market index, in March 2023. It is the largest German and fifth largest Europe ...
Vehicles. The total value of the contract was $299.4 million. Teams will develop concept designs during the 15-month long phase. In June 2023, the Army downselected American Rheinmetall and GDLS to go forward in the competition. These two teams will now move on to the next phase of the programme and split a $1.6 billion development fund to develop a total of eleven prototypes each, seven being for a contract award, with an option for four more. They will also develop two ballistic hulls, turrets, armor coupons, and digital model twins during this phase of the programme. The Army announced that due to the initial design stage of the OMFV being complete, that they would be redesignating the programme as the XM30 Mechanized Infantry Combat Vehicle.


Robotic Combat Vehicle

, Robotic Combat Vehicle (RCV) is not a
Program of Record In the United States, the processes of government procurement enable federal, state and local government bodies in the country to acquire goods, services (including construction), and interests in real property. Contracting with the federal gove ...
, meaning the Army has not committed to an acquisition plan. The RCV is being developed in light, medium and heavy variants. The RCV-Light weighs no more than 10 tons, the RCV-Medium weighs between 10 and 20 tons, and the RCV-H weighs more than 20 and less than 30 tons. In January 2020, the Army awarded contracts to
Qinetiq QinetiQ ( as in '' kinetic'') is a British defence technology company headquartered in Farnborough, Hampshire. It operates primarily in the defence, security and critical national infrastructure markets and run testing and evaluation capabili ...
and
Textron Textron Inc. is an American industrial Conglomerate (company), conglomerate based in Providence, Rhode Island. Textron's subsidiaries include Arctic Cat, Bell Textron, Kautex, Textron Aviation (which itself includes the Beechcraft and Cessna b ...
. Qinetiq will build four RCV-Ls, and Textron will build four RCV-Ms.


Decisive Lethality Platform

The decisive lethality platform (DLP) is the planned replacement for the current US Army MBT, the Abrams. Little is known about its design, although the army is currently seriously considering unmanned options with the hope that they would be cheaper to produce, although concerns have been raised on whether an entirely new design would be cheaper, as it could possibly be significantly more expensive. Possible contenders for the DLP include the M1E3 Abrams, which would be an entirely new design despite retaining the Abrams nomenclature. According to a 2019 Army Science Board study, the tank would need to include several new key features, such as a new hybrid-electric drivetrain, an autoloader, the capability to field advanced munitions, which could include maneuvering hypersonic rounds or tank-launched ATGMs, improved armor protection against drones and modern guided munitions, reduced thermal and electromagnetic signatures, and the ability to operate alongside and in cooperation with robotic combat vehicles. The hybrid-electric drivetrain is of key concern; one of the project's main goals is to have a better fuel economy than current Abrams models. Currently,
General Dynamics General Dynamics Corporation (GD) is an American publicly traded aerospace and defense corporation headquartered in Reston, Virginia. As of 2020, it was the fifth largest defense contractor in the world by arms sales and fifth largest in the Unit ...
has been selected to lead the project's design, although questions remain on whether it will be available for U.S. allies.


See also

*
Ground Combat Vehicle The Ground Combat Vehicle (GCV) was a program initiated by the United States Army in 2009, with the goal of developing a next-generation armored fighting vehicle. The first variant of the GCV to be developed would be an infantry fighting vehicle ...
, a U.S. Army infantry fighting vehicle program canceled in 2014 *
Future Combat Systems Manned Ground Vehicles The Manned Ground Vehicles (MGV) was a family of lighter and more transportable ground vehicles developed by Boeing and subcontractors BAE Systems and General Dynamics as part of the U.S. Army's Future Combat Systems (FCS) program. The MGV program ...
, an American family of tracked vehicles that was canceled in 2009 *
Interim Armored Vehicle The Interim Armored Vehicle (IAV), previously known as the Medium Armored Vehicle (MAV), was a U.S. Army armored fighting vehicle acquisition program. General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) and General Motors Defense proposed a vehicle based on the ...
, a U.S. Army combat vehicle acquisition program that resulted in the
Stryker The Stryker is a family of Eight-wheel drive, eight-wheeled armored fighting vehicles derived from the Canadian LAV III. Stryker vehicles are produced by General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada (GDLS-C) for the United States Army in a plant in L ...
* Armored Systems Modernization, a wide-ranging U.S. Army combat vehicle acquisition program cancelled after the end of the Cold War * M1299, U.S. Army replacement for the
M109 howitzer The M109 is an American 155 mm turreted self-propelled howitzer, first introduced in the early 1960s to replace the M44 and M52. It has been upgraded a number of times, most recently to the M109A7. The M109 family is the most common Western ...
. The program was cancelled in 2024.


References

{{Reflist Combat vehicles of the United States Post–Cold War armored fighting vehicles of the United States Fourth-generation main battle tanks