US Army urges accelerated FCS production

US Army officials continue to push for speedy production of Future Combat Systems (FCS), saying they are confident the system will save lives after observing its performance in a limited preliminary user test near Fort Bliss, Texas in late July.

Army officials tested the FCS 'Spin Out 1' kit during a training exercise from 27 to 31 July, operating the network of weapon systems in a mock village between White Sands Missile range and Fort Bliss.

"Our recommendation from everything we've learned so far is these [systems] are really going to help our soldiers down range," in Afghanistan and Iraq, said Brigadier General James Terry, director of the army's Future Force Integration Directorate.

FCS Spin Out 1 consists of a Non-Line-of-Sight Launch System (NLOS-LS) for precision fires; a 'B-kit' computer system to share imagery; unattended sensors; an aerial drone known as the Class I Block 0 Micro Air Vehicle (MAV); and a ground-based robot known as the Small Unmanned Ground Vehicle.

Based on test observations, Gen Terry said he advocated moving ahead with plans to conduct the next test - a preliminary user test - in 2009. That test will be followed by a 'milestone C' decision to begin limited production of FCS Spin Out 1 in 2010.

Image:The FCS aerial drone known as the Class I Block 0 Micro Air Vehicle and a ground-based robot known as the Small Unmanned Ground Vehicle (PA Photos) 209 of 508 words