Army Seeks Short-Term Payoff From Future Combat Systems

National Defense Magazine ^ | December 2003 | Sandra I. Erwin

[Cannoneer No. 4]

The Army is redirecting priorities in the Future Combat Systems program, in an attempt to meet short-term needs for new technologies. This shift in emphasis means the program will be less about developing futuristic concepts and more about upgrading the current tanks, armored infantry vehicles and trucks.

Program officials assert that the chief of staff of the Army, Gen. Peter J. Schoomaker, supports the FCS and intends to keep the $15 billion project on track to field a new family of vehicles by 2010. But the ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan clearly have forced the Army to reassess the program goals. While the FCS previously was viewed as a long-term modernization effort, now the chief wants FCS to begin delivering technologies as soon as possible.

The plan is to “spin off capabilities” out of FCS into the Abrams tank and Bradley infantry vehicle fleets, said Lt. Gen. John S. Caldwell Jr., military deputy to the assistant secretary of the Army for acquisition. But he cautioned that the FCS program is not being significantly restructured or downscaled. Rather, other programs will be “adjusted” to take advantage of the new technologies developed in FCS, Caldwell told National Defense.

Since the FCS got under way more than three years ago, the predominant message heard from senior officials has been the notion of FCS as a “network” or a “system of systems” that would usher the Army into the information age.

Each FCS brigade, called a unit of action, will run 30 million lines of software. More than half of the money in the program will be allocated to ground combat vehicles and C4ISR (command, control, communications, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance) systems.

A seamless network of light ground vehicles and aircraft remains the essence of the FCS, but program officials now are stressing that FCS is first and foremost about putting technology in the hands of soldiers. During an industry conference last month sponsored by the Army Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command, in Dearborn, Mich., the program manager for FCS, Brig. Gen. Donald F. Schenk, told contactors that they “need to work fast.”

Despite widespread skepticism that the program may not be able to deliver a new generation of vehicles to begin replacing tanks and Bradleys in less than a decade, Schenk said that the goals are achievable. But in his opening comments to the conference, he acknowledged that, with the Army at war, the focus has changed. The technologies of the FCS could “transition” to other programs “more quickly than most people think,” Schenk said.

Among the technologies that could “spiral” from FCS into the current force are wireless communications systems, active protection for vehicles, diagnostics devices to predict engine failures, hybrid-electric power units and advanced truck suspensions, said Albert Puzzuoli, deputy program executive officer for Army ground combat systems.

But for FCS to be successful, he stressed, the Army and its contractors must fix a vexing problem that affects today’s weapons systems: electronics obsolescence. The term refers to the difficulties in upgrading older weapon systems because the electronic components often are out of production and not available in the commercial market. This could pose serious hurdles as the Army figures out how to upgrade the Abrams and the Bradley, so they can remain in the fleet for at least 20 more years.

The Army’s ability to “spiral” technologies out of FCS into Abrams and Bradley depends on “how we attack our electronic obsolescence problems,” Puzzuoli told the TACOM conference. One solution would be to develop a new, less complex electronic architecture in the Abrams and Bradley that is “somewhat compatible” with FCS, he said.

Unless this matter is resolved, he added, “FCS, one day, will suffer electronic obsolescence issues.”

Puzzuoli suggested that one of the more pressing technology needs in the near future will be to equip the Abrams tanks with new or remanufactured engines. The Army had awarded a contract to Honeywell Corp. in 1999 to develop a new turbine engine, the LV100. The plan was to build 1,600 engines to be installed on all Abrams tanks and Crusader artillery vehicles. But the cancellation of Crusader and cutbacks in the Abrams upgrade program drove down the number of engines to fewer than 600. An expected higher price for the LV100 (as a result of a smaller order) and technical problems experienced in the program have prompted the Army to reassess whether it should cancel the project and start over.

“We are currently evaluating the status of that program and where the future lies,” Puzzuoli said.

The current engine, the AGT1500 turbine, is fuel guzzling, has poor reliability and high maintenance costs, he said.

In fiscal year 2004, the Army will need to overhaul more than 1,200 tank engines, a threefold increase over 12 months. The Anniston Army Depot, in Alabama, currently overhauls about 400 engines a year.

The commander of TACOM, Army Maj. Gen. N. Ross Thompson III, said he fears that shortages of key components could severely undermine the depot’s ability to deliver enough engines to meet the Army’s needs in Iraq.

The potential cancellation of the LV100 is not related to the increased need for AGT1500 engines, Thompson said in an interview. “If they don’t continue the program, we’ll have a competition to reengineer and increase the reliability and the durability of the AGT1500.”

Also of immediate need in the field is additional protection for Humvees and other trucks that are not armored. As U.S. forces in Iraq endure continuing attacks by rocket-propelled grenades, mortars and various explosive devices, TACOM officials are rushing to come up with “countermeasures,” such as armor kits.

Ideally, TACOM would like to build more of the up-armored Humvees, but the production line only can assemble 220 per month. The Army has asked for at least 3,500.

Until enough up-armored Humvees can be delivered, TACOM is providing interim alternatives, such as armor kits and a newly designed armor door that can be applied on existing Humvees. The Army’s depots will make 1,000 armor doors for immediate delivery to Iraq, Thompson said.

Armor kits also will be needed for medium and heavy trucks, he said. Future Army rotations in Iraq will see fewer Abrams and Bradleys, and more wheeled vehicles, including the new Stryker.

Upgrading Vehicles

Contractors, meanwhile, await specific direction from the Army on how it will go about transitioning from the current force to the so-called Future Force, equipped with FCS technology.

Much of the technology the Army wants in FCS already exists, experts contend. Vehicle manufacturers are coming forward with unsolicited concepts that aim to prove that.

United Defense LP, for example, recently unveiled a 20-ton armored vehicle equipped with a 120 mm gun that was fired at a shooting range in California, according the UDLP officials. The demonstrator—powered by a hybrid-electric engine—is a modified armored gun that originally was developed in the early 1990s for Army light forces and subsequently was cancelled to fund other programs.

UDLP resurrected one of the six 105 mm prototypes and installed a 120 mm gun designed at the Army’s Watervliet Arsenal.

The company claims that the vehicle is not intended to meet FCS requirements, given that the Army selected General Dynamics as the provider of direct-fire vehicles for FCS. UDLP was designated the supplier for the artillery systems.

In what appears to be a tit-for-tat move, General Dynamics unveiled its own concept for a 20-ton 105 mm howitzer, which would be compatible with the Stryker family. Company officials said the Army has not yet settled on whether the FCS howitzer will be 105 mm or 155 mm, even though UDLP is developing a 155 mm non-line-of-sight cannon for FCS.

As far as FCS requirements are concerned, the Army has been “really vague,” said Dean Lockwood, combat vehicles analyst at Forecast International, a market research firm. For that reason, “contractors are showing what is possible and what is not.”

Lockwood believes that the Army is moving toward a hybrid force of light quick-reaction and heavy armored units. “With FCS, they want something in the middle.” Stryker, he said, is the “first incarnation of FCS. It’s the test-bed and interim program for it.”

Marine Lt. Gen. James Cartwright, of the Joint Staff, called FCS “the most transformational thing that is going on in the Department of Defense.”

Given the uncertainty about future conflicts and geopolitics, “the Army knows its goals are probably ambitious,” Cartwright said in a speech to the Institute for Defense and Government Advancement. The schedule may slip, “but they’ve got the right mindset,” said Cartwright. “They’ve got a heck of a challenge.”

[R. Scott]

It’s often the case that the grunt in the field can come up with better and cheaper solutions than the defense contractors – and a whole lot quicker.
We used the M-2 Browning .50s with 500 round belts fed from a can on the deck about four feet below the gun. The Browning had enough power to feed with no problem.

[Cannoneer No. 4]

Whatever happened to all those M-85's and M60A1/3 cupolas?

When they finally admit defeat on the Stryker Remote Weapons Station, how hard would it be to mount an old tank cupola in that spot?

The M-85 was a good gun. I vaguely recall a TC's 105 Delta sight that worked real good once you learned how to use it. Do they still make those links? Aggravating to be expecting ammo resupply and you get it and it's Ma Deuce ammo.

[archy]

Whatever happened to all those M-85's and M60A1/3 cupolas?

The Israelis found out that when a turret is hit with a 125mm HEAT round or ATGM HEAT warhead, enough force is transmitted to shear the cupola's mounting bolts, and the assembly goes flying. It the TC happens to be in it at the time, the top half of him goes flying with it, and the bottom half drops on down into the turret and generally messes things up inside. Of course with a Stryker, that'd be the least of anyone's worries in the event of a hit from an ATGM.

When they finally admit defeat on the Stryker Remote Weapons Station, how hard would it be to mount an old tank cupola in that spot?

A couple of possible better ideas come to mind, one being the 25mm Bushmaster mount from the M1025 Bushmaster Humvee. The M230 chain gun of the Apache has also been fitted to Special Forces Humvees. And the XM293 (FN M3P) .50-cal Gatling from the GE Avenger turret is another possibility.

The M-85 was a good gun. I vaguely recall a TC's 105 Delta sight that worked real good once you learned how to use it. Do they still make those links? Aggravating to be expecting ammo resupply and you get it and it's Ma Deuce ammo.

Yep, they're the M15 link, not the M9. They look like an overgrown M60 MG link scaled up to .50 size. I think maybe they're used with the XM 293 .50 Gatling.

You think gettin .50 ammo in the wrong links is unhandy, which is at least survivable if you've got a 20mm can full of used links and some time, you oughta try being in a base camp with four hungry M2 .50s to feed and getting a supply of .50x77mm spotter tracer ammo for the M8c semiauto rifle mounted above a 106mm recoilless rifle....

-archy-/-

[PsyOp]

Can she shoot and keep her weapon clean, Daddy?

She Qualified expert last month. 38/40 on the Army pop-up range. My best was 37/40. If those jehadis know what's good for them, they'll steer clear of her.

She did JROTC in HS and is loving the Army. And yes, I am very proud of her.

[PsyOp]

"MP machinegunner."

Great article. Thanks.

[R. Scott]

I’m afraid I’m not current on a lot of the modern stuff – I’ve been retired for over seventeen years. I pick up a little here and there – and that’s about it.
Seventeen years? It doesn’t seem that long!

[Cannoneer No. 4]

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[Cannoneer No. 4]

ranger will be on O'Reilly Factor's radio show on Friday. 12-2PM live and replayed afterward. He's going to talk about the lack of uparmored humvees and the need to make modifications as needed to vehicles in the field, etc. Anything you want him to put forward that would be constructive toward protecting our troops would be appreciated, but he'll need it before the end of thursday to prepare. Perhaps we can yet get something done about this situation which is constructive.

[sauropod]

"While the FCS previously was viewed as a long-term modernization effort, now the chief wants FCS to begin delivering technologies as soon as possible."

The FCS has just got bitten by the Crusader disease.

I fault Rumsfeld partly for this. He should NEVER have put an Air Force General as CSA. I believe this to be a direct result.

[sauropod]

"An expected higher price for the LV100 (as a result of a smaller order) and technical problems experienced in the program have prompted the Army to reassess whether it should cancel the project and start over."

Oh GOD this is stupid!

The LV100 engine in some form was around in at least 1994. They should develop the damn thing. Already a lot of sunk cost in it.

[Archangelsk]

One of the problems with putting additional armor on thin-skinned vehicles is the increase in weight. A stateside brigade would have to sacrifice its reactive ability because the USAF cannot add lift capability at the same pace of applying armor.

I think that's probably one of the reasons why the poobahs in the Army have nixed fabrications done on the economy. Also, it's probably likely that the U.S. is negotiating with several middle-east states to create POMCUS stocks in their region.

[SLB]

I fault Rumsfeld partly for this. He should NEVER have put an Air Force General as CSA. I believe this to be a direct result.

One of the latest spin offs from FCS is a "joint" Air Force and Army program, JEFX04. Although sold to the Army leadership as an FCS program and using some limited FCS technology, the lead is most assuredly with the Air Force and they are quick to point out that funding is coming from them. It is the major Air Force experiment for 2004 and we just sort of got sucked into it as a way to keep FCS moving along. Go have a look at JEFX04 and read between the lines.

[sauropod]

"Do they never learn? The Army wants it fast, cheap, and good. They can only get two out of three... "

No they don't. Its endemic in the perfumed prince mindset.

[Cannoneer No. 4]

General Schoomaker is not an Air Force General.

[Cannoneer No. 4]

On the subject of M1114 Armored Humvees and the shortage thereof in Iraq: y'all have anything you would like ranger to mention on O'Reilly's radio show?