ARLINGTON, Va. -- The Office of Naval Research (ONR) is sponsoring research to develop the next-generation Armored Reconnaissance Vehicle (ARV), in preparation to replace the Marine Corps' current Light Armored Vehicle (LAV).
The current LAV supports Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalions that
perform all-weather, sustained-reconnaissance, counter-reconnaissance and
security missions. It has been in service since the early 1980s, and the
Marine Corps plans to start replacing it at the end of the next decade.
ONR's ARV science and technology effort is part of the Department of the
Navy's Future Naval Capabilities program, which aims to discover, assess and
fast-track the most mature and useful new technologies into acquisition
programs of record upon completion of the research.
The future ARV will provide transformational sensor, communications and
combat capabilities to collect and communicate information, while
integrating robotics and artificial intelligence technologies in
manned-unmanned teams. ARV will enable a crew to sense the operating
environment using advanced on-board sensors and unmanned systems in order to
detect, recognize and identify threats at extended ranges. Additionally, ARV
will provide the warfighter with a survivable, mobile, networked and lethal
platform to dominate the battle space.
Beginning in 2018, ONR awarded several contracts for full-system
concept/trade studies, and for individual advanced technology research
efforts, with those goals in mind.
In 2019, ONR awarded contracts to two defense companies to design, fabricate
and test full-scale technology-demonstration vehicles.
One vehicle, by General Dynamics Land Systems, will incorporate advanced
technologies available today, or in the near future around a notional unit
price point. This design is designated as the "base vehicle" approach.
The other, by SAIC, is conceptualized as an "at-the-edge" vehicle with
advanced technologies that might not be fully mature today but could be
incorporated into the ARV as new capabilities, when threats and missions
evolve. The objective of this approach is to envision the most advanced
technology, beyond current capabilities.
Both technology demonstrator platforms should be ready for government
evaluation near the end of 2020.
Additionally, ONR is investing in component technology development meant to
enhance the armored reconnaissance mission of the future through investments
in platform cybersecurity; logistics management; mobility; and autonomous
aerial vehicles with Battelle, Cougaar Software, QinetiQ and SRI
International, respectively.
To ensure full collaboration and a smooth transition of research products to
the Marine Corps, close alignment is maintained with acquisition and
requirements representatives from the Program Manager for Light Armored
Vehicles within the Marine Corps Systems Command, and the Ground Combat
Element Division within the Marine Corps Combat Development Command.
Warren Duffie Jr. is a contractor for ONR Corporate Strategic
Communications.
Office of Naval Research
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