The Next Generation Combat Vehicle (NGCV) is a

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...

program intended to procure a variety of armored vehicles to add new capabilities to Army units and replace existing platforms that are nearing the end of their service life. The program covers the following systems: *

Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle The Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle (OMFV) is a U.S. Army program to replace the M2 Bradley infantry fighting vehicle. OMFV is one part of the Next Generation Combat Vehicle portfolio of programs. After the cancelation of the Ground Combat Veh ...

(OMFV), the replacement for the M2 Bradley IFV. *

Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle The Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV) is a U.S. Army program to replace the M113 armored personnel carrier and family of vehicles. AMPV is a sub-project of the Next Generation Combat Vehicle program. In 2014, the U.S. Army selected BAE Syst ...

(AMPV), the replacement for the M113. *

Mobile Protected Firepower The Mobile Protected Firepower (MPF) system is a U.S. Army program to procure a light tank that is capable of providing mobile protected direct offensive fire capability. The program is part of the Next Generation Combat Vehicle program. A previo ...

(MPF), a light tank for Infantry

Brigade Combat Teams The brigade combat team (BCT) is the basic deployable unit of maneuver in the U.S. Army. A brigade combat team consists of one combat arms branch maneuver brigade, and its assigned support and fire units. A brigade is normally commanded by a ...

(IBCTs). * Robotic Combat Vehicle (RCV), three unmanned ground vehicles in light, medium, and heavy configurations. * Decisive Lethality Platform (DLP), the replacement for the

M1 Abrams The M1 Abrams is a third-generation American main battle tank designed by Chrysler Defense (now General Dynamics Land Systems) and named for General Creighton Abrams. Conceived for modern armored ground warfare and now one of the heaviest ta ...

main battle tank.

Development

The project began in 2017 after the previous

Ground Combat Vehicle The Ground Combat Vehicle (GCV) was the United States Army's replacement program for armored fighting vehicles in Armored and Stryker brigade combat teams. The GCV was organized under the ''Follow On Incremental Capabilities Package'' of the BC ...

program was canceled. The deadline of the projects is expected to be 2035. Multiple groups competed for the bid. The

Army An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...

gave the contract to a six member consortium -

Lockheed Martin The Lockheed Martin Corporation is an American aerospace, arms, defense, information security, and technology corporation with worldwide interests. It was formed by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta in March 1995. It ...

, SAIC, GS Engineering, Inc.,

Moog Inc. Moog ( ) is an American-based designer and manufacturer of electric, electro-hydraulic and hydraulic motion, controls and systems for applications in aerospace, defense, industrial and medical devices. The company operates under four segments: a ...

, Hodges Transportation Inc. and Roush Industries.

Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle

Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV) is the replacement for the M113. In 2014, the Army selected

BAE Systems BAE Systems plc (BAE) is a British multinational arms, security, and aerospace company based in London, England. It is the largest defence contractor in Europe, and ranked the seventh-largest in the world based on applicable 2021 revenues. ...

' proposal of a turretless variant of the Bradley Fighting Vehicle. the program was scheduled to deliver 2,897 AMPVs in five variants.

Mobile Protected Firepower

is a light tank. It is similar to the M8 Armored Gun System program canceled in 1996, or the Stryker

M1128 Mobile Gun System The M1128 Mobile Gun System (MGS) is an eight-wheeled armored car of the Stryker armored fighting vehicle family, mounting a 105 mm tank gun, based on the Canadian LAV III light-armored vehicle manufactured by General Dynamics Land Systems for ...

being retired in 2022. In November 2019, the Army released a request for proposals for the

In December 2018, the Army downselected

' and

General Dynamics Land Systems General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) is a manufacturer of military vehicles such as tanks and lighter armored fighting vehicles. History In February 1982 Chrysler announced the sale of Chrysler Defense, its profitable defense subsidiary, to Gen ...

' proposals to move forward. BAE offered a vehicle based on the M8 Armored Gun System. GDLS offered a variant of the

Griffin II The General Dynamics Griffin is a series of armored fighting vehicles under development by General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) for the United States Army. The Griffin is a derivative of ASCOD family of AFVs, which was also designed by GDLS. Pl ...

. On June 28th, 2022, the Army selected GDLS Griffin II light tank as the winner of the MPF program with an initial contract of 96 vehicles.

Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle

The

is the Army's replacement for the M2 Bradley. In June 2018, the Army established the Next Generation Combat Vehicle (NGCV) program to replace the M2 Bradley. In October 2018, the program was re-designated as the Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle (OMFV). The NGCV program was expanded as a portfolio of next-generation vehicles including tanks and the Bradley-based

. In March 2019 the Army released a request for proposals for the OMFV. The Army said OMFV will be designed “to engage in close combat and deliver decisive lethality during the execution of combined arms maneuver,” and will have a 30mm cannon and a second-generation

forward looking infrared Forward-looking infrared (FLIR) cameras, typically used on military and civilian aircraft, use a thermographic camera that senses infrared radiation. The sensors installed in forward-looking infrared cameras, as well as those of other thermal ...

system, or FLIR. Testing of the vehicle is expected to begin in 2020. A joint venture between Raytheon and

Rheinmetall Rheinmetall AG is a German automotive and arms manufacturer, headquartered in Düsseldorf, Germany. Its shares are traded on the Frankfurt stock exchange. History Rheinmetall was founded in 1889. Banker and investor Lorenz Zuckermandel L ...

offered a variant of the Lynx KF41, and

offered a variant of the Griffin III. Both Raytheon-Rheinmetall and GDLS were disqualified, leaving no other competitors. The Army decided to restart the program with less-stringent guidelines. In July 2021, the Army awarded contracts to five teams: Point Blank Enterprises,

Oshkosh Defense Oshkosh Corporation, formerly Oshkosh Truck, is an American industrial company that designs and builds specialty trucks, military vehicles, truck bodies, airport fire apparatus, and access equipment. The corporation also owns Pierce Manufact ...

and American

Vehicles. The total value of the contract was $299.4 million. Teams will develop concept designs during the 15-month long phase.

Robotic Combat Vehicle

, Robotic Combat Vehicle (RCF) is not a

Program of Record The processes of government procurement in the United States enable federal, state and local government bodies in the country to acquire goods, services (including construction), and interests in real property. In fiscal year 2019, the US Federal ...

, meaning the Army has not committed to an acquisition plan. The RCV is being developed in light, medium and heavy variants. RCV-Light weighs no more than 10 tons, RCV-Medium weighs between 10 and 20 tons, and RCV-H weighs more than 20 and 30 tons. In January 2020, the Army awarded contracts to Qinetiq and

Textron Textron Inc. is an American industrial conglomerate based in Providence, Rhode Island. Textron's subsidiaries include Arctic Cat, Bell Textron, Textron Aviation (which itself includes the Beechcraft, and Cessna brands), and Lycoming Engines. ...

. Qinetiq is to build four RCV-Ls, and Textron is to build four RCV-Ms.

References