RCV autonomous system prototype proposal request soon to come

The Army is turning to industry for prototype proposals for an autonomous system to integrate into its Robotic Combat Vehicle, according to a special notice the service put out today.

The intent is to survey companies for an “Autonomous Mobility Solution” for the RCV and potentially other future robotic vehicles. The request comes out of the office for Future Battle Platforms within the Ground Combat Systems program executive office.

The RCV “is a groundbreaking advancement in the field of ground maneuver warfare,” the release says. “To align with Army requirements, an autonomous solution for ground mobility is required.”

The service defines ground mobility autonomy as a vehicle that can move around without a human directly operating it; the capability is needed to lighten the “cognitive load” for soldiers who are carrying out missions with RCVs -- and drive down the amount of “human interventions.”

But right now the Army has to contend with the fact that autonomous technology is “not that great,” Maj. Gen. Glenn Dean, GCS program executive officer, said last fall, because it still requires a lot of human involvement.

The service will release the request for prototype proposals under the Detroit Arsenal Innovation Other Transaction Agreement, an OTA that launched in September 2023 between Army Contracting Command and the National Advanced Mobility Consortium. Its purpose is to research and develop ground vehicle prototyping projects.

ACC at Detroit Arsenal in Warren, MI, has an active request for information with NAMC, with responses due April 14.

The prototyping project should last exactly one year, according to the release, but it’s not clear when it will begin. The Army is aiming for a follow-on production effort after the prototyping wraps up.