US Army once again seeks new IFV designs

[BLACKEAGLE]

Daniel Wasserbly, Washington, DC - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
04 June 2015

The Bradley, in service since the early 1980s, exceeds its size, weight, power, and cooling limits, but the proven IFV fills a niche within the army's portfolio and requires improvements to maintain it. Source: BAE Systems

The US Army has awarded about USD57 million between BAE Systems Land and Armaments and General Dynamics Land Systems for conceptual design work on a future fighting vehicle (FFV) that could potentially replace the Bradley infantry fighting vehicle.

Work on this effort is to run through November 2016.

"As part of the FFV Phase 1 effort, General Dynamics will develop design concepts for the next-generation Infantry Fighting Vehicle [IFV]," the company said in a 2 June statement. It will "conduct trade studies, requirements analysis, modelling and simulation [M&S], and assess technology capability and maturity to support each of the three design concepts".

General Dynamics was awarded USD28.267 million and BAE Systems was awarded USD28.868 million, both are cost-plus-fixed-fee multi-year incrementally funded contracts, according to a 29 May Pentagon announcement. All of BAE Systems' contract was obligated at the time from fiscal year 2014 (FY 2014) and FY 2015 research and development funding, and USD20 million of the General Dynamics contract was obligated from the same accounts.

In FY 2016 the army has requested USD49.3 million to research and develop FFV technologies; according to IHS Jane's analysis this represents just 0.21% of all vehicle modernisation spending in the budget proposal.
US Army once again seeks new IFV designs - IHS Jane's 360

 

[Rainshield7]

I hope the Army does find some new design that would work best for them on the battlefield with the tanks. Who knows when that would really take place. There are so many ideas that they can use for this situation it depends on the resources that they have.

 

[crimsonghost747]

This really is misleading journalism once again. Simply because they award these contracts to develop concepts for new vehicles doesn't mean that they are looking to replace anything anytime soon. It's just how this business operates, the US armed forces throw cash for companies so the companies can keep their R&D running.

What they get in return is arguably the most advanced defence industry in the world, so when they finally do need a new item they can get multiple great domestic options to choose from.

 

[Rowe992]

Well I hope if the day comes when the US army is put to the test by a real army we see the result of how technology aids their efforts. The US army already has the most advance technologies and wanting to add more is good but I think they can over do it a bit a times. Hope the tax payers' money is being spent well.