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U.S. Future Combat Systems Markets
Frost & Sullivan, Dec 2004
The U.S. Government is keen on devising technologically superior future combat systems (FCS), which will be light enough to be transported by air and yet, robust enough to survive battlefield threats. In fact, scientists have developed lightweight armors made of composite materials and reactive armors that sense and neutralize approaching missiles. FCS have to be reliable, possess the ability to communicate in various environments even when on the move, and be secure. Lead system integrators (LSIs) have been looking for solution proposals by hosting conferences with the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA). Some FCS technologies under development are improved protective gear for soldiers/vehicles and situational awareness technology such as information sharing and improved connectivity.
This report provides an overview of the U.S. Future Combat Systems market. The study has been segmented into soldier modernization, the FCS communications network, manned systems, unmanned aerial vehicles, unmanned ground vehicles, unattended munitions, logistics, and training.
FCS is the primary ground force segment of the Department of Defense's (DoD’s) larger transformation plan to enhance joint operations and coordination between the United States and coalition forces, says the author of this research. By enhancing the Army's agility and reducing logistics needs, the armed forces can get to battlefields quicker and eliminate the enemy faster. This is likely to be a marked departure from the current requirement of taking months to deploy the heavy forces and stockpile supplies at the battlefield. Although the Army is not expected to completely do away with heavy capability, FCS Units of Action are anticipated to eventually replace most of the army’s units.
The DoD has given FCS deployment top billing, as is evident from the termination of 24 army systems and restructuring of another 24 in fiscal years 2004-2009 to free resources for FCS. Nearly 98 percent of the science and technology budget in the financial year 2004 was allotted for FCS, clearly marking it as the Army's highest priority program.
What was originally a concept used only for software-intensive programs, ‘spiral evolution’ is now applied to almost all areas of technology. The purpose of this concept is to accept some risk at the beginning of the development cycle so that a system’s degree of definition and implementation will be increasingly accomplished. Once this technology is implemented in current systems, the overall degree of risk will be reduced.
Concurrent rather than sequential soldier feedback is the hallmark of spiral evolution and requires simulation and modeling along with frequent tests with the end user, notes the analyst. The process is geared to produce an 85 percent solution much faster, without significant risk to the war fighter. FCS is hoping that this new technology application will be integrated into current and intermediate systems. This move is expected to bring together and field program components when they are ready, instead of waiting for the completion of the entire program.
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