US Army maps out plans for future combat vehicles

As the US Army is preparing to release its new vehicle strategy and concepts for developing a ground combat vehicle (GCV) in early September, flexibility and growth potential are being seen as of paramount importance.

Lieutenant General Michael Vane, who directs the Army Capabilities Integration Center, is broadly looking at capability gaps in current vehicle formations that can be filled in the next five to seven years, as well as looking at how to build and expand on vehicle functionality beyond that time frame.

This review is looking at the army's overall force structure. It will describe conditions for resetting the current force, determine which current force capabilities should be upgraded, which should be divested, and establish areas that require new materiel solutions.

"It essentially gives us a combat vehicle roadmap with cost-benefit assessments for current and future vehicles," Gen Vane told Jane's on 17 August.

He explained that the strategy will inform where to improve Abrams main battle tanks and Paladin self-propelled howitzers, reset Bradley Fighting Vehicles and Stryker infantry carrier vehicles and determine under what conditions the army needs a new GCV.