Shek

I'm not convinced that 20 ton vehicles are the answer, but I think that there are very promising technologies that will be spiralled off from the program. I think that 10 years down the road we will have a better perspective on whether potential enemies will actually have the hyperKE weapons that will make passive armor obsolete against them (however, with the high potential of COIN being a recurring mission for us, these emerging active armor technologies won't defeat suicide VBIEDs or larger IEDs, so this will make the hyperKE weapons question irrelevant). I'll have to ask some of my buddies that are involved with FCS to get their impressions. One other thing, the UGVs seem a little too futuristic to me.

Who knows, maybe 20-30 years from now we'll have an Air Force with lift capability that is designed around moving the Army and a breakthrough in materials technology (remember, after Yom Kippur, armor was going the way of the dinosaur thanks to man portable, precision guided AT weapons, and then Chobham armour [I'll use the British spelling to give credit where it is due] came to the rescue of the tank), both of which will allow much lighter armored vehicle with the same passive protection of current MBTs but at much less weight (but not necessarily 20 tons).

Dima

well, eventually, we will have to decrease the size of tanks, because as urbanization continues, many battles and most losses will take place in the cities, for example, look at Iraq

to fit on the roads, yu're going to have to decrease the size and weight of the vehicle, and improve all-around protection, and maneuverability

passive=Chobham armour(correct?)

"One other thing, the UGVs seem a little too futuristic to me."

really? i always thought thay we were really close to developing UGV's for military service, well, you guys have the Stryker(in 2008, won't it be able to go to a set location programmed into it by itself?) they have trucks that are unmanned(although with a lot of problems) i was watching a competition on Discovery regarding this, there was even an unmanned motorcycle, it didn't last long though, think it only stood up-right for like 3-4 seconds

anywyas, in the competition, they had to negotiate obstacles and run a track, it was cool though

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Wraith601

Ironically it's easier to build a plane that can fly largely on automatic than it is to build a ground vehicle. The air doesn't have terrain. I'm sure we'll start seeing more remote control vehicles doing things like recon, mine clearing, and and maybe carrying out "suicide" attacks on enemy rear areas.

Shek

I'm not sure if UGV includes the remote controlled category. If so, then non-remote controlled vehicles are too futuristic. A "mule" robot doesn't do me much good if I have to control where it goes.

Anon

It beats a private getting his leg blown off...as long as you have the time to employ it.

You won't always, but when you do, it would be really handy to have a remote control scout.

Terran empire

It is "Supposed" to run on it's own, But based on how the Darpa challenge went it need s a lot of work
PS Snipe Love the sig

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Anon

LOL, thanx.

I picked that up from an E-6 i met at Benning back in '88. It stuck with me because, well...it's true.

sniperdude411

A future remote-controlled vehicle isn't that far away, I'm sure. An unmanned vehicle would be WAY different. A remote-controlled vehicle conept isn't that hard to do; it's just like playing video games, except you're killing real people and tanks and such. Like I said, an armored light remote-controlled vehicle with a GAU-13 on it.

And yeah, your new sig is awesome; I need to update mine soon, I'll probably use apicture of myself with guns; but I'll have to wait until June...

Shek

There's plenty of remote controlled robots out there already: Talon, SWORDS, Packbot, and plenty of others. The primary method of disarming EODs is the use of a robot with a camera and arm to either blow or shoot the detonation device. It will be interesting to find out when the DARPA competition can actually be completed - that will be the first step to the solution. You'll then have to figure how to program it to move in conjunction with the element it is supposed to support. Not impossible, just lots of code and testing.

sniperdude411

"There's plenty of remote controlled robots out there already: Talon, SWORDS, Packbot, and plenty of others. The primary method of disarming EODs is the use of a robot with a camera and arm to either blow or shoot the detonation device."
I can't wait until I get to use those...Oh yeah, just read this a while ago: http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn7302
I really want to join the EOD; I should be fine getting in with my high-honor roll.
If you could find some requirements to get into the EOD, that'd be great.

Shek

I believe you need to be an E4 and then they'll interview you and with your commander's recommendation, they'll select you for OJT to see if you have the right stuff. If you do, then they'll send you to the EOD course.

I'm not 100% sure that this is the path in, but it's what I recall when one of my soldiers wanted to go EOD when I was a PL.

Dima

agreed!!!

Anon

Thanx Dima.

Officer of Engineers

It kinda makes me feel ... exposed.

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Chimo

Anon

It should make you feel 'covered' sir.