A failure waiting to happen.The story "Future Combat Systems Technologies Not Keeping Pace With Expectations," (October 2004, p. 45-46) paints an exceptionally clear picture of the FCS FCS - Frame Check Sequence program. As Sandra Erwin explains the phases, 2008 might see the NLOS-cannon, some missile launchers missile launcher n → lanzamisiles m inv missile launcher n → lance-missiles m missile launcher missile n and robot ground sensors, 2010 may see new communication and unmanned surveillance aircraft, 2012 might see fully autonomous ground robots, 2014 might see the battle command network retro-fitted ("spiraled") into the existing Abrams/Bradley/Stryker fleet. Only then perhaps will the FCS manned combat vehicles begin arriving, technology and/or miracles permitting. I contend that the program's fatal flaws are either unrecognized or else being ignored by Army acquisition officials, so please allow me to point them out. Leading the program with the NLOS-Cannon six years before any other variant only guarantees that either the NLOS-cannon will be incompatible, or else the fleet's design is prematurely locked in. An incompatible cannon system ensures lifecycle problems since it will match neither FCS nor the existing M109 family of self-propelled howitzers. Even more disastrous would be a premature design lock-in, as the technology to build the family does not even exist. Regarding survivability sur·viv·a·ble adj. 1. Capable of surviving: survivable organisms in a hostile environment. 2. That can be survived: a survivable, but very serious, illness. at less than 20 tons, this program is a dead end. The highly touted Stryker is too big and heavy for C-130 transport, yet its basic armor protection is only against heavy machine guns A heavy machine gun refers to either a larger-caliber, high-power machine gun or one of the smaller, medium-caliber (rifle caliber) machine guns meant for prolonged firing from heavy mounts, less mobile, or static positions (or some combination of the two). , perhaps 14.5 mm. Heretofore obsolete 20 mm auto-cannons will suddenly become effective killing systems, while larger systems such as 40 mm will completely dominate the battlefield. Brig Brig, town, Switzerland Brig (brēk), Fr. Brigue, town, Valais canton, S Switzerland, on the Rhône River, at the north entrance of the Simplon Tunnel. . Gen. Charles Cartwright reportedly states that "active protection" is a relatively mature technology, even though the U.S. Army has yet to develop tactics to allow soldiers to operate safely around vehicles that launch munitions mu·ni·tion n. War materiel, especially weapons and ammunition. Often used in the plural. tr.v. mu·ni·tioned, mu·ni·tion·ing, mu·ni·tions To supply with munitions. autonomously in self defense. This is nonsense! No existing or projected technologies can make up for the lack of effective armor protection. It is one thing to deflect de·flect intr. & tr.v. de·flect·ed, de·flect·ing, de·flects To turn aside or cause to turn aside; bend or deviate. [Latin d or intercept an occasional projectile projectile something thrown forward. projectile syringe see blow dart. projectile vomiting forceful vomiting, usually without preceding retching, in which the vomitus is thrown well forward. approaching a main battle tank. It is quite another to stop a rapid fire burst of auto-cannon shells, not to mention artillery fragments, all of which can destroy a lightly armored Adj. 1. lightly armored - equipped with armor heavy enough to provide protection against fire from light arms lightly armoured armored, armoured - protected by armor (used of persons or things military) vehicle. The critical question for Army acquisition officials is, "How did this program ever get beyond the concept exploration and definition phases?" The FCS is a bad idea, very badly executed. It is a multibillion-dollar program failure waiting to happen. The manned vehicle portion needs to be canceled immediately. Instead, resources should be concentrated on adding the battle command network into the existing Abrams/Bradley/Stryker and supporting vehicle fleets. The smart artillery and missile launchers, robot ground sensors, unmanned surveillance aircraft, fully autonomous ground robots can then be added incrementally into the existing force, which is actually the "spiral" plan by default. The Army simply should procure required "niche" systems such as the Armored Gun System (light tank), focusing on operational performance requirements, not science-fiction fantasy. Chester A. Kojro Rolla, MO |
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