Official Future Ground Combat Vehicle Summit Media Center

In line with the guidance provided by CDC, WHO and the Federal Government we have taken the decision to postpone the Future Ground Combat Vehicles Summit that was due to take place May 27-29, 2020. As the health and safety of our attendees, speakers, sponsors and staff are our primary concern...please click to read more

Couldn't make it to our online event this May? Download our event recap to find out what you missed!

Present your approving manager with this customizable letter detailing the reasons why you should attend Future Ground Combat Vehicles and you'll be sure to receive permission to join us.

Take a look at the experts who attended the 2019 Future Ground Combat Vehicles Summit. 

If you'd prefer a copy via email, please contact enquiryIQPC@iqpc.com.

+ Other NGCV Program Updates & Developments

On January 16, 2020, the U.S. Army announced it was canceling its solicitation for the Section 804 Middle Tier Acquisition (MTA) Rapid Prototyping phase of the Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle (OMFV) after it received only one bid. This marked the DoD's 3rd failed attempt to successfully develop a replacement for the Cold War-era Bradley. However, the story is far from over. Download this in-depth, 10-page report to learn more about where the OMFV program is headed. 

• OMFV program background - what went wrong & lessons learned
• OMFV reboot - what you need to know about where the program is heading in FY20 and beyond
• Next steps - how the U.S. Army is turning to the industry to help them develop a new & improved set of requirements, timelines and funding models
• Progress updates for 3 other Next Generation Combat Vehicles programs: Robotic Combat Vehicle (RCV), Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV) and Mobile Protected Firepower (MPF)

Enabling Next-Generation Ground Combat Vehicle Dominance for US Battlefield Superiority

In June 2018, the Army announced a new modernization strategy. Chief among these priorities was the development of a Next Generation Combat Vehicle (NGCV). Since then the U.S. Army has made significant strides towards achieving their goal of creating a fleet of vehicles that “deliver decisive lethality with manned and unmanned teaming as part of a combined arms team in the future operating environment.” Though some programs, such as the Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle (OMFV) project, have hit significant road bumps, others have progressed more smoothly.

As for FY21 investments, out of a total DoD budget request of $78 billion, $13 billion is devoted to the development and procurement of ground combat systems. Though this represents a small dip from FY20 funding ($191.4 billion and $14.6 billion, respectively), developing a modernized fleet of NGCVs to replace the aging M1 tank and the Bradley is still a top priority for Army leaders. Furthermore, a significant portion of the reduced funding can be attributed to the cancellation and re-imagining of the OMFV program as well temporary cuts to the AMPV program due to production delays. To learn more about where exactly the $13 billion requested is going, DOWNLOAD our latest infographic to read an overview of where the NGCV program is heading in FY21 and how these investments are driving the U.S. Army’s long-term combat vehicle modernization strategy. 

We created a 2019 progress update on the latest NGCV modernization and acquisition developments. As well as a breakdown of:

• The latest news in artificial intelligence, active protection systems, and robotics
• Modernization & procurement highlights from the DoD's FY19 budget
• Recently awarded & active NGCV opportunities

Maneuver in the Digital World 

‘Digital Transformation’ is very much en vogue in the public and private sectors. It articulates the profound impact of digitization on organizational culture and procedure, and signifies a new era of data and information technology-centric thinking, design and practice. 

Download this whitepaper to learn more about:

• Digitization in Defense
• The impact of digitization processes and digital technologies on contemporary armored maneuver forces around the globe
  
• Digitized by Design: Innovating the AFV
• ‘Protected Manoeuvre’: The Australian Army’s Transition to a Digitized Armored Fleet
• The Bundeswehr’s ‘Digitisation of Land-Based Operations’ Program

Think Batmobiles in Gotham City 

Against a backdrop of mass global urban migration and the increasing fragility of metropolitan spaces due to environmental and geopolitical crises, the likelihood of future conflict taking place in cities is increasing. Recognizing this, armies are modernizing their capability portfolios to enable them to fight and win in urban environments, and Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGVs) are expected to play a critical role in future operations.

DOWNLOAD this report to gain insight into how UGVs are deployed today and learn more about:

• Robotics in Urban Conflict and Megacities 
• UGV T&E and Lessons Learnt from Syria
• UGVs in the Israeli Defense Forces

The Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGVs) market is projected to grow from $2.7 billion to $7 billion by 2025, at a rate of 14.81% during the forecast period. This increase is being driven by a range of army modernization programs, underpinned by rapid technological advancement and the need to increase force mass, reduce manpower burdens, and prepare for operations in more complex urban environments. In light of this, our partners at Defence IQ created this comprehensive report that outlines current key programs and requirements in the UGV space.

Key benefits of downloading the report:

• Learn more about the top acquisition priorities and active program requirements for 11 countries including the United States, China and Germany
• Gain insights into the top investment trends that will shape the year ahead and beyond

Want to learn more about what happened in 2019? Check out our Post Show Report that highlights: attendee statistics, what to expect in 2020, and more!

In October 2017, the Acting Secretary of the Army and Chief of Staff of the Army established six Army modernization priorities to focus future investments. Number 2 on the list? The development of the Next Generation Combat Vehicle.

Since then, the U.S. Army has made significant strides towards achieving their goal of creating a fleet of vehicles that “deliver decisive lethality with manned and unmanned teaming as part of a combined arms team in the future operating environment.” In 2019, the U.S. Army successfully tested their initial Mission Enabling Technologies Demonstrator (MET-D) and Robotic Combat Vehicle (RCV) capabilities. They also began releasing the first in a series of RFPs for the development of the RCV-Light, RCV-Medium and the Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle (OMFV).

However, this is just the tip of the iceberg. In 2020, the army is slated to live-fire test of their RCVs next spring at Fort Carson, Colorado before conducting more extensive testing with an infantry unit in Europe. After that, the next known test will take place sometime in late 2021 wherein 6 MET-Ds and 4 M113 RCVs, along with 4 light and medium RCVs will conduct company-level maneuvers. A third phase will take place in 2023, which will involve 6 MET-Ds and 4 M113 RCVs, along with 4 medium and heavy RCVs. Ultimately, the service aims to equip the first unit with robotic combat vehicles by 2026.

As for 2020 investments, out of a total DoD budget of $191.4 billion, $14.6 billion will be devoted to the development and procurement of ground combat systems. This includes the purchase of over 6,402 new combat vehicles, a multitude of modernization efforts and the development of 4 new RCVs. DOWNLOAD this mega-infographic to learn more about where specifically the money if going and how these investments are driving the U.S. Army’s long-term combat vehicle modernization strategy.

We recently spoke with Colonel Vanyo, Military Deputy to the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command's Ground Vehicle Systems Center, to hear his thoughts on:

• A five year outlook on the role and evolution of robotics in the U.S. Army
  
• Accelerating prototyping efforts for NGCV-RCV
• Key objectives/priorities for the next 2-5 years
• And more!
  

Download 8 presentations from the last Future Ground summit! This zip drive contains:

1. Acquisition, Logistics and Technology Update

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army (Acquisition, Logistics & Technology)

2. Assessments in Rapid Modernization 

• Historical lessons and examples
• Harnessing S&T efforts in the future

Colonel Christopher Barnwell, Chief, Field Experimentation Division Joint Modernization Command, U.S. Army 

3. Army’s Robotics Efforts in SMET, Leader Follower and Future of Autonomy with AI A.I R

Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Bodenhamer, Product Manager Appliqué and Large Unmanned Ground Systems, PEO CS&CSS, US Army

4. Sociotechnical System Requirements for Tactical Employment of Ground Robotics and Emerging Technologies

• Description and illustration of the key implications of ground robotics and other emerging technologies for evolution of unit-level sociotechnical systems.
• Includes tasks/processes, workforce, organizational structure and operating environment

Matthew E. Boyer, CEO + Co-founder, Zylter

5. Developing and Employing Technology for Future Battlefield 

• Historical lessons and examples 
• Harnessing S&T efforts in the future

Colonel (R) Frederick Gellert, Professor of Resource Management, U.S. Army War College

6. Emerging Threats: From Requirements to Engineering Solutions

• A review of the evolution of future battlefield threats
• Prioritizing the most pressing capabilities gap
• S&T focus to achieve 10x capabilities

Dwayne Hynes, Deputy Chief of Staff, Army G2

7. PM Force Projection: Review of the Robotics Portfolio 

• Designing new systems that are “autonomy ready”
• Identifying capability gaps
• Upgrading current platforms for interoperability

Mark Mazzara, Robotics Interoperability Lead, Project Manager Force Projection, PEO CS & CSS, U.S. Army

8. Impact of Technology on the Current and Future Tactical Fight A.I

• The future contested, near-peer fight presents both opportunities and risks for a technological force
• Data analytics and human machine teaming is being used every night on the battlefield-- in unexpected ways
• OODA Loop is too slow. We need to “Predict and Act”-- and this requires fundamental changes to Mission

Colonel Mike McGuire, Director, Combat Developments, U.S. Army SOCOM

Download 8 presentations from the last Future Ground Combat Vehicles summit! Our presentation packet contains:

1. Acquisition, Logistics and Technology Update

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army (Acquisition, Logistics & Technology)

2. Assessments in Rapid Modernization 

• Historical lessons and examples
• Harnessing S&T efforts in the future

Colonel Christopher Barnwell, Chief, Field Experimentation Division Joint Modernization Command, U.S. Army 

3. Army’s Robotics Efforts in SMET, Leader Follower and Future of Autonomy with AI A.I R

Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Bodenhamer, Product Manager Appliqué and Large Unmanned Ground Systems, PEO CS&CSS, US Army

4. Sociotechnical System Requirements for Tactical Employment of Ground Robotics and Emerging Technologies

• Description and illustration of the key implications of ground robotics and other emerging technologies for evolution of unit-level sociotechnical systems.
• Includes tasks/processes, workforce, organizational structure and operating environment

Matthew E. Boyer, CEO + Co-founder, Zylter

5. Developing and Employing Technology for Future Battlefield 

• Historical lessons and examples 
• Harnessing S&T efforts in the future

Colonel (R) Frederick Gellert, Professor of Resource Management, U.S. Army War College

6. Emerging Threats: From Requirements to Engineering Solutions

• A review of the evolution of future battlefield threats
• Prioritizing the most pressing capabilities gap
• S&T focus to achieve 10x capabilities

Dwayne Hynes, Deputy Chief of Staff, Army G2

7. PM Force Projection: Review of the Robotics Portfolio 

• Designing new systems that are “autonomy ready”
• Identifying capability gaps
• Upgrading current platforms for interoperability

Mark Mazzara, Robotics Interoperability Lead, Project Manager Force Projection, PEO CS & CSS, U.S. Army

8. Impact of Technology on the Current and Future Tactical Fight A.I

• The future contested, near-peer fight presents both opportunities and risks for a technological force
• Data analytics and human machine teaming is being used every night on the battlefield-- in unexpected ways
• OODA Loop is too slow. We need to “Predict and Act”-- and this requires fundamental changes to Mission

Colonel Mike McGuire, Director, Combat Developments, U.S. Army SOCOM

Take a look at the participation opportunities, speakers, discussion subject and more in the 2018 Sponsor/Exhibitor Prospectus. For additional information contact Max Miller