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Updated December 14, 2021
The Army’s Robotic Combat Vehicle (RCV) Program
Background
Figure 2. Example of an RCV-M Prototype
The RCV is a vehicle being developed as part of the
Army’s Next Generation Combat Vehicle (NGCV) family
of vehicles. The Army plans to develop three RCV variants:
Light, Medium, and Heavy. The Army reportedly envisions
employing RCVs as “scouts” and “escorts” for manned
fighting vehicles to deter ambushes and to guard the flanks
of mechanized formations. As originally planned, RCVs are
to be controlled by operators riding in NGCVs, but the
Army hopes that improved ground navigation technology
and artificial intelligence (AI) might eventually permit a
single operator to control multiple RCVs or for RCVs to
operate in a more autonomous mode.
Three RCV Variants
According to the Army’s Robotic Combat Vehicle
Campaign Plan, January 16, 2019, obtained by CRS, the
Army plans to develop three RCV variants:

Source: https://www.defensedaily.com/textron-team-readying-
RCV Light (RCV-L)
delivery-first-rcv-m-prototypes-received-deal-electric-variant/army/,
The RCV-L (Figure 1) is to weigh no more than 10 tons,
accessed July 12, 2021.
with dimensions (length, width, height) of no more than
224 x 88 x 94 inches. In terms of transportability, a single
RCV Heavy (RCV-H)
RCV-L would be transported by rotary wing aircraft. The
The RCV-H (Figure 3) is to weigh between 20 and 30 tons,
RCV-L would also have limited on-board lethality such as
with dimensions (length, width, height) of no more than
self-defense systems, anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs),
350 x 144 x 142 inches. In terms of transportability, two
or recoilless weapons. The RCV-L is considered an
RCV-Hs would be transported by a C-17 transport aircraft.
expendable weapon system, meaning its destruction in
The RCV-H is to have on-board direct fire weapon systems
combat is expected and acceptable.
capable of defeating all known enemy armored vehicles.
The RCV-H is considered a nonexpendable weapon system,
Figure 1. Example of an RCV-L Prototype
meaning that it should be as survivable as a crewed system.
Figure 3. Example of an RCV-H Prototype

Source: https://www.qinetiq.com/en/news/first-robotic-combat-
vehicle-light, accessed July 12, 2021.
RCV Medium (RCV-M)
The RCV-M (Figure 2) is to weigh between 10 and 20
tons, with dimensions (length, width, height) of no more
than 230 x 107 x 94 inches. In terms of transportability, a
single RCV-M is to be transported by a C-130 transport
aircraft. The RCV-M is to have increased onboard lethality

to defeat light- to medium-armored threats. The RCV-M is
Source: https://sites.breakingmedia.com/uploads/sites/3/2020/10/
considered “durable” by the Army, meaning the Army
ALAS-Turret-front-close-IMG_0174.jpg, accessed July 12, 2021.
would like the RCV-M to be more survivable than the
RCV-L.
https://crsreports.congress.gov
The Army’s Robotic Combat Vehicle (RCV) Program
Status of RCV Effort
Test & Evaluation, RDT&E − Volume II, Budget Activity 4, May 2021,
According to an August 2020 Government Accountability
p. 368.
Office (GAO) report:
Notes: RDT&E = Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation; $M
= U.S. Dollars in Mil ions; Qty. = FY2022 Procurement Quantities.
The Robotic Combat Vehicle (RCV) effort is
currently employing other transaction agreements
Table 2. FY2022 RCV Defense Authorizations and
(OTA) to conduct experiments to determine the
Appropriations
availability and maturity of technologies and the
Authorized
Appropriated
validity of operating concepts. The outcome of
Funding Category
($M)
($M)
these experiments will be used to determine
whether an acquisition program is feasible, with
RDT&E
$75.0
$83.2 (H.R. 4432)
plans for three vehicle variants—a light, a medium,
(S. 1605)
$58.5 (S. 3023)
and a heavy variant. As RCV is not yet a program
of record, no acquisition approach has been
Sources: Rules Committee Print 117-21, Text of House
Amendment to S. 1605, p. 1826; H.Rept. 117-88 to accompany H.R.
selected.
4432, p. 241; Explanatory Statement to accompany Senate
On January 10, 2020, the Army announced that it would
Appropriations Committee-released Department of Defense
award an Other Transaction Agreement (OTA) to QinetiQ
Appropriations Act, 2022, p. 163.
North America (Virginia—main headquarters is in the
United Kingdom) to build four RCV-Ls and Textron
Potential Issues for Congress
(Rhode Island) to build four RCV-Ms. The Light and
 What is the Army’s current “concept of operation” for
Medium RCVs were planned to be used to conduct a
employing RCVs in combat? What are the perceived
company-level experiment at the end of 2021. The results
benefits and drawbacks of RCVs?
of that experiment and several virtual experiments are to
inform a decision on how to proceed with the RCV effort in
 If adopted for use, will RCVs require changes to the
2023.
Army’s current command and control systems and
Other Transaction Authority or Agreement (OTA)
procedures?
refers to the authority (10 U.S.C. §2371b) of the Department
of Defense (DOD) to carry out certain prototypes, research,
 How many RCVs by variant, would the Army procure if
and production projects. Other Transaction (OT) authorities
RCVs become a program of record?
were created to give DOD the flexibility necessary to adopt
and incorporate business practices that reflect commercial
 What are the planned per unit costs of the “expendable”
industry standards and best practices into its award
RCV-L and the “durable” RCV-M? How affordable are
instruments. As of the 2016 National Defense Authorization
these less survivable systems as opposed to crewed
Act (NDAA; P.L. 114-92) Section 845, the DOD currently has
systems that they are intended to replace/supplement?
permanent authority to award OT under 10 U.S.C., §2371, for
research, prototype, and production purposes.
 What are the autonomous ground navigation and
artificial intelligence (AI) technological challenges
In March 2021, the Army reportedly stated it would
affecting the development of autonomous RCVs?
conduct operational experiments for Light and Medium
RCVs from June to August 2022 at Ft. Hood, TX. General
 Are there plans to develop fully autonomous RCV
Dynamics Land Systems will also reportedly provide four
variants?
RCV prototypes for the Army to test at Ft. Hood as well.
The Army noted it plans to decide in FY2023 whether to
 The Army’s 2019 Robotic Combat Vehicle Campaign
proceed to the Engineering and Manufacturing
Plan and ongoing prototype testing focuses almost
Development (EMD) phase for the RCV-L, and to make a
exclusively on the RCV-L and RCV-M variants. What is
similar decision in FY2024 for the RCV-M.
the Army’s current thinking regarding the way ahead for
the RCV-H?
Budgetary Information
 Given the Army’s plans for the RCV-H to be able to
Table 1. FY2022 RCV Budget Request
defeat all known enemy armored threats, what is the
Total
potential for the RCV-H to eventually replace the M-1
Total Request
Request
Abrams tank?
Funding Category
($M)
(Qty.)
RDT&E
$87.2
—
Andrew Feickert, Specialist in Military Ground Forces
Source: Department of Defense Fiscal Year 2022 Budget Estimates,
IF11876
Army Justification Book Volume 2a of 2, Research, Development,


https://crsreports.congress.gov
The Army’s Robotic Combat Vehicle (RCV) Program


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https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF11876 · VERSION 2 · UPDATED