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Updated January 10, 2023
The Army’s Robotic Combat Vehicle (RCV) Program
Background
Figure 2. Example of an RCV-M Prototype
The RCV is being developed as part of the Army’s Next
Generation Combat Vehicle (NGCV) family of vehicles. As
originally planned, the Army intended to develop three
RCV variants: Light, Medium, and Heavy. The Army
reportedly envisioned employing RCVs as “scouts” and
“escorts” for manned fighting vehicles to deter ambushes
and to guard the flanks of mechanized formations. RCVs
are intended 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 planned 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
FY2023 RCV Budgetary Information
According to an August 2020 Government Accountability
Office (GAO) report
Table 1. FY2023 RCV Budget Request
Total
The Robotic Combat Vehicle (RCV) effort is
Total Request
Request
currently employing other transaction agreements
Funding Category
($M)
(Qty.)
(OTA) to conduct experiments to determine the
RDT&E
$115.986
—
availability and maturity of technologies and the
validity of operating concepts. The outcome of
Source: Department of Defense Fiscal Year 2023 Budget Estimates,
these experiments will be used to determine
Army Justification Book Volume 2b of 2, Research, Development,
whether an acquisition program is feasible, with
Test & Evaluation, RDT&E − Volume II, Budget Activity 5a, April
plans for three vehicle variants—a light, a medium,
2022, p. 189.
and a heavy variant. As RCV is not yet a program
Notes: RDT&E = Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation; $M
of record, no acquisition approach has been
= U.S. dollars in mil ions; Qty. = FY2023 procurement quantities.
selected.
Table 2. FY2023 RCV Authorizations and
On January 10, 2020, the Army announced it would award
Appropriations
an Other Transaction Agreement (OTA) to QinetiQ North
Total
America (Virginia—main headquarters is in the United
Funding
Authorized Appropriated
Request
Kingdom) to build four RCV-Ls and Textron (Rhode
Category
($M)
($M)
(Qty.)
Island) to build four RCV-Ms.
RDT&E
$115.986
$109.849
—
Other Transaction Authority or Agreement (OTA)
TOTAL
$115.986
$109.849
—
refers to the authority (10 U.S.C. §2371b) of the Department
Sources: Authorized: P.L. 117-263, H.R. 7776—James M. Inhofe
of Defense (DOD) to carry out certain prototypes, research,
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023, December
and production projects. Other Transaction (OT) authorities
27, 2022, p. 734. Appropriated: Fiscal Year 2023 Omnibus
were created to give DOD the flexibility necessary to adopt
Appropriations Bil , H.R. 2617, Division C—Department of Defense
and incorporate business practices that reflect commercial
Appropriations Act, 2023, December 19, 2022, p. 89L.
industry standards and best practices into its award
instruments. As of the 2016 National Defense Authorization
Considerations for Congress
Act (NDAA; P.L. 114-92) Section 845, the DOD currently has
Oversight questions Congress could consider include the
permanent authority to award OT under 10 U.S.C. §2371, for
following:
research, prototype, and production purposes.
 What is the Army’s current “concept of operation” for
RCV Testing
employing RCVs in combat? What are the perceived
The Army reportedly conducted operational experiments
benefits and drawbacks of RCVs?
for Light and Medium RCVs from June to August 2022 at
Ft. Hood, TX. General Dynamics Land Systems reportedly
 What are the planned per unit costs of the “expendable”
provided four RCV-M prototypes for the Army to test at Ft.
RCV-L? Are these systems less expensive than the
Hood as well. The Army plans to decide in FY2023
crewed systems they are intended to
whether to proceed to the Engineering and Manufacturing
replace/supplement?
Development (EMD) phase for the RCV-L.
 What are the autonomous ground navigation and
RCV-M Development Deferred
artificial intelligence (AI) technological challenges
Reportedly, in May 2022, senior Army acquisition officials
affecting the development of autonomous RCVs?
stated the Army would postpone further RCV-M
development and instead focus on the RCV-L. Army
 Are there plans to develop fully autonomous RCV
officials further noted the RCV-M could be reinstated in the
variants?
future, as the Army learns more from RCV-L development.
 Under what circumstances could the Army reinstate
Further RDV-L Development
RCV-M development?
Reportedly, the RCV-L is to be included in the Army’s
five-year rapid prototyping plan, with an open competition
 What is the Army’s current thinking regarding the way
selecting up to five companies in the fourth quarter FY2023
ahead for the RCV-H? Given the Army’s requirements
to build two RCV-L full systems prototypes for each
for the RCV-H to be able to defeat all known enemy
company. Testing is then planned for the prototypes
armored threats, is there potential for the RCV-H to
continuing through the third quarter FY2024. After testing,
eventually replace the M-1 Abrams tank?
a single company would be awarded a contract to develop
additional RCV-L prototypes for testing in FY2026.
Andrew Feickert, Specialist in Military Ground Forces
IF11876


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


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