White Paper

WHITE PAPER Key Technology Considerations for Next-Gen Army Vehicles mrcy.com 2 mrcy.com 2 The Army aims to become multi-domain capable by 2030. This capability will enable division commanders to gain and maintain information advantage and synchronize all theaters to accomplish complex combat operations. A key to maintaining military dominance in the future is the implementation of next-generation combat vehicles and the technology that powers them. " The Army will be ready to face the future battle space, which will be truly multi-domain, fast-paced, and technology-driven" — Army.mil, HQDA, Deputy Chief of Staff, G-3-5-7 NEXT-GENERATION COMBAT VEHICLE LINEUP It is difficult for a soldier to be alert to new environments if they are busy driving a combat vehicle in unfamiliar or dangerous terrain. By adopting robotics and autonomous systems (RAS) and artificial intelligence (AI), the Army will be able to drive efficiency and effectiveness, reduce risk to soldiers, and increase land power. Next-generation combat vehicles and autonomous vehicles are a key to delivering on this promise. XM30 Mechanized Infantry Combat Vehicle (formerly Optionally Manned Vehicle, or OMFV) The XM30 Mechanized Infantry Combat Vehicle (MICV) is a U.S. Army program to replace the M2 Bradley infantry fighting vehicle. The Bradley Fighting Vehicle had a three- person crew, but the XM30 will only have two, increasing its reliance on autonomy and AI to deliver greater survivability, powerful lethality at stand-off range, and improved maneuver capabilities, including artificial intelligence-enabled target recognition (AiTR) and advanced fire control systems that will ease the cognitive burden of a two-person crew. Autonomous navigation and intelligent threat recognition would allow the vehicle to drive safely so the crew can focus on the mission and respond faster to threats. Soldiers could potentially dismount and still operate the vehicle remotely to control weapon systems and position the vehicle advantageously. Robotic Combat Vehicle (RCV) Designed to ser ve as a scout and escor t for manned combat vehicles, the Army 's Robotic Combat Vehicle (RCV) will increase situational awareness, lethality, and tactical options for Army formations. Unlike Squad Multipurpose Equipment Transport (S-MET) vehicles that functioned like pack mules, carrying soldier gear, supplies, and equipment, RCVs will rely on systems with advanced technology to detect and neutralize threats. RCV will be a force-multiplier, able to scout, assess threats from a distance, reach areas that manned vehicles cannot, and counteract swarms and other robotics from adversaries. Equipped with various weapon systems such as machine guns, anti-tank missiles, and rocket launchers, RCVs would be able to engage enemy forces independently and provide fire support to XM30s. The XM30 crew could remotely manage them in manned-unmanned teaming operations, operating safely at a distance while the unmanned RCVs engage threats directly. Smarter munitions and robotic systems are much more SWaP constrained and will require smaller components. Mercury's Multi Chip Module (MCM) utilizes an RFSoC die, reducing the board's width to less than 1", and is designed for smart decoys.

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