The army will receive RCV robot combat vehicles: what will they do (video)

US Army armored brigades will be equipped with robotic combat vehicles (RCVs) in the near future, starting in 2028. This is mentioned in the Forbes article.

The goal of this program is to integrate man and machine so that robots can make first contact with the enemy and eliminate risk to troops. However, to use these robots successfully, an integrated approach developed as part of the Human-Machine Integration (HMI) program is required. The idea is that robots will reduce the risks to troops by performing reconnaissance and infiltration missions. However, this goal is difficult and temporarily unattainable. The most specific vision for the introduction of robots was formulated by Major General Curtis Buzzard, who saw them as tools for intelligence gathering, surveillance, detection of chemical and biological weapons, and penetration of the enemy.

One of the concepts, that of controlling many robots by a single soldier, is not yet ready for implementation due to the lack of the necessary autonomy. Instead, soldiers will operate a single robotic vehicle that has a hybrid-electric powertrain and can carry a variety of weapons and payloads. The robot development project is carried out in parallel with the software and radio communication program that will provide communication between the robots and the control machine. Instead of different versions of the robots, it is planned to use a single type of “RCV smedium”, which is a hybrid between light and medium options. These are expected to be tracked or wheeled vehicles weighing up to 8,500 pounds and capable of carrying loads of up to 7,000 pounds. These robots will be used in various tasks such as machine gun fire, mortar attack, and creating smoke screens.

Industrial teams such as Team McQ, Textron Systems and others are working on prototypes of robotic combat vehicles. Three of them are tracked and one is wheeled. While the teams are working, the Army is already conducting experiments using surrogate RCV demonstrators. The experiments included RCV samples, control vehicles, and a command and control network. These experiments gave the Army a conceptual framework to work with. The Army is currently developing an “RCV platoon” consisting of four robots and two control vehicles. Each control vehicle has a driver, commander and four RCV operators. In the future, this platoon could be added to a company of robotic autonomous systems. In addition, it is possible that a future combination of combat vehicles with the RCV will eliminate the control vehicle.

For RCVs to be used successfully in combat conditions, they must be sufficiently reliable and protected against possible threats such as minefields, small arms and artillery. An important aspect of human-machine integration is the ability of human operators to control unmanned systems in the same way they control manned platforms. This can be done through voice control or digital commands translated into machine language. However, more research and testing is needed to ensure the reliability and effectiveness of RCVs before they can be implemented on a large scale.

Let’s remember that at the beginning of October we wrote that the army would receive TRX universal combat robots. Engineers claim their platform will launch missiles, fight drones, suppress communications, and even dig trenches.

Previously Focus He wrote that Turkey is producing land-based unmanned aerial vehicles on a large scale to repeat Bayraktar’s success. Experts say that in the future, many armies, especially in the Middle East, Caucasus, Africa and Asia, will need Turkish combat robots.