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Updated April 3, 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
worth up to $13.8 million to no more than four vendors,
According to an August 2020 Government Accountability
with each vendor tasked to deliver nine full-system
Office (GAO) report:
prototypes for evaluation.
The Robotic Combat Vehicle (RCV) effort is
Reportedly, a potential $607 million follow-on production
currently employing other transaction agreements
contract could be awarded, with the Army noting the
(OTA) to conduct experiments to determine the
contract could be awarded “without the use of competitive
availability and maturity of technologies and the
procedures, so long as the participant in this transaction
validity of operating concepts. The outcome of
successfully completes the prototype project.”
these experiments will be used to determine
whether an acquisition program is feasible, with
It was further reported that following the RPP release,
plans for three vehicle variants—a light, a medium,
Oshkosh Defense and BAE Systems indicated their interest
and a heavy variant. As RCV is not yet a program
in the RCV effort, which could result in a production
of record, no acquisition approach has been
contract of approximately $607 million for 211 RCVs.
selected.
FY2024 RCV Budgetary Information
On January 10, 2020, the Army announced it would award
an Other Transaction Agreement (OTA) to QinetiQ North
Table 1. FY2024 RCV Budget Request
America (Virginia—main headquarters is in the United
Total
Kingdom) to build four RCV-Ls and Textron (Rhode
Total Request
Request
Island) to build four RCV-Ms.
Funding Category
($M)
(Qty.)
Other Transaction Authority or Agreement (OTA)
RDT&E
$142.125
—
refers to the authority (10 U.S.C. §2371b) of the Department
Source: Department of Defense Fiscal Year 2024 Budget Estimates,
of Defense (DOD) to carry out certain prototypes, research,
Army Justification Book Volume 2b of 2, Research, Development,
and production projects. Other Transaction (OT) authorities
Test & Evaluation, RDT&E − Volume II, Budget Activity 5a, March
were created to give DOD the flexibility necessary to adopt
2023, p. 188.
and incorporate business practices that reflect commercial
Notes: RDT&E = Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation; $M
industry standards and best practices into its award
= U.S. dollars in mil ions; Qty. = FY2024 procurement quantities.
instruments. As of the 2016 National Defense Authorization
Act (NDAA; P.L. 114-92) Section 845, the DOD currently has
Considerations for Congress
permanent authority to award OT under 10 U.S.C. §2371, for
Oversight questions Congress could consider include the
research, prototype, and production purposes.
following:
RCV Testing
What is the Army’s current “concept of operation” for
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 planned 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.
Army Decides to Focus Efforts on RCV-L
What are the autonomous ground navigation and
artificial intelligence (AI) technological challenges
Reportedly, in August 2023, the Assistant Secretary of the
affecting the development of autonomous RCVs?
Army for Acquisitions, Logistics, and Technology (ASA
[ALT]) stated:
Are there plans to develop fully autonomous RCV
The Army is still broadly, of course, interested in
variants?
robots of many different sizes. But we’re focusing
on RCV-L because we think that’s a necessary first
Under what circumstances could the Army reinstate
step before going to larger platforms.
RCV-M development?
The ASA (ALT) reportedly noted that the Army has plans
What is the Army’s current thinking regarding the way
to “defer RCV-M for the time being.”
ahead for the RCV-H? While the Army has reportedly
deferred the RCV-M, the status of any RCV-H
Army’s Request for Prototype Proposal (RPP) for
development appears to be less definitive.
Further RCV-L Development
Reportedly, on March 29, 2023, the Army released a
Andrew Feickert, Specialist in Military Ground Forces
Request for Prototype Proposal (RPP) for the RCV
Program, detailing a three-phased effort that could select up
IF11876
to four vendors to deliver test vehicles by August 2024. The
first phase for the RCV effort includes awarding contracts
https://crsreports.congress.gov
The Army’s Robotic Combat Vehicle (RCV) Program
Disclaimer
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