The US Army will test robotic combat vehicles (RCVs) from the back of modified Bradley Fighting Vehicles next year.
Soldiers will test the RCVs during a month-long operational test scheduled to begin in March at Fort Carson, Colorado, US.
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Testing will provide feedback to the Combat Capabilities Development Command’s (CCDC) Ground Vehicle Systems Center on autonomous vehicles.
Known as Mission Enabler Technologies-Demonstrators (MET-Ds), the upgraded Bradley vehicles consist of a remote turret for the 25mm main gun and 360° situational awareness cameras.
The Bradleys also feature enhanced crew stations with touchscreens.
Initially, the army will test two MET-Ds and four robotic combat vehicles on M113 surrogate platforms.
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By GlobalDataThe MET-D vehicle will be able to carry a driver and gunner, as well as four soldiers.
Soldiers in the vehicle will conduct platoon-level manoeuvres with two surrogate vehicles that are equipped with 7.62mm machine guns.
CCDC-Ground Vehicle Systems Center emerging capabilities office chief David Centeno said: “We’ve never had soldiers operate MET-Ds before. We’re asking them to utilise the vehicles in a way that’s never been done before.”
The centre and next-generation combat vehicle cross-functional team will use the feedback provided by soldiers to undertake improvements for future test phases.
A key objective is to figure out how to penetrate an adversary’s anti-access / aerial denial capabilities without compromising on the safety of soldiers.
The army plans to eventually equip the autonomous vehicles with third-generation forward-looking infrared kits with a preferred target range of 14km and above.
The second phase of soldier testing will take place in the fiscal year 2021 when the vehicles will undergo company-level manoeuvres.
This phase will include six MET-Ds, four M113 surrogates, four light and four medium surrogate robotic combat vehicles.
Phase III is scheduled for mid-fiscal year 2023 and will involve four medium and four heavy purpose-built RCVs.
