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THE LOGIC OF FUTURE COMBAT SYSTEMSTHE LOGIC OF FUTURE COMBAT SYSTEMS
• TheArmy’sFutureCombatSystems(FCS)programisafamilyofgroundcombatvehiclesandunmannedreconnaissanceaircrafttiedtogetherbyahigh-capacitywirelessnetwork.ItisthecenterpieceofArmymodernizationefforts,consumingaboutfourpercentoftheservice’sbudgetoverthenexttwodecades.
• Theneedforanetwork-enabledfamilyofcombatsystemsisdrivenbytheemergenceofnewthreatsandtheincreasingsophisticationofmoretraditionalthreats.Thenewthreatsincludeunconventionalchallengessuchasterroristsandinsurgents,whilethetraditionalthreatsmainlyinvolveconventionalforcesthathavebecomemorepotentduetothegrowingavailabilityofprecisionmunitions,advancedsensors,digitalcommunicationsandweaponsofmassdestruction.
• FutureCombatSystemswasconceivedtobolsterArmycombatcapabilitiesacrossthe fullspectrumofpotentialmilitarychallenges.Usingnewtechnologies,embeddedtrainingandagiletactics,FCSenablessoldierstostayconnectedincombat,detectanddestroythreatsfaster,protectthemselvesmoreeffectively,andprojectpowerwhereveritisneededonshortnotice.
• ThecoreelementsofFCSare14differentcombatsystemsunitedbyasharednetwork,organizationandconceptofoperations.Becausetheyarelinkedtogetherviaaresilientandversatilenetwork,soldiersequippedwithFCScapabilitieswillenjoyunprecedentedsituationalawarenessandoperationalflexibility,permittingthemtoachievecombatobjectivesmoreefficientlywhileriskingasfewlivesaspossible.
• FutureCombatSystemsistheessentialnextstepbeyondresettingexistingequipmentsothatsoldierscanbepreparedforthefightsofthefuture.Ifitisnotimplementedasplanned,moresoldierswilldieduetolackofadequateawareness,agilityandprotection,whiletheArmywillhavetospendasimilaramountofmoneyonlesseffectiveresponsestotheemergingthreat.
FINDINGS IN BRIEF
This reportwaswrittenbyDr. LorenThompsonof the Lexington Institute staff aspart of the Institute’s continuingeffort toanalyzemilitarytechnologyrequirementsandacquisitionpractices.
America’s Army has begun the most far-reachingmodernizationofitswarfightingcapabilitiesinfortyyears.CalledtheFutureCombatSystems,orFCS, theprogramisdesignedtoreshapetheArmysoitcanrespondquicklyanddecisivelytoemergingthreats.Itdoesthisbyadaptingnewtechnologytothedemandsofthefuturebattlefield,andthenadjustingtacticsandtrainingtomakemaximumuseofthecapabilitiesthenewtechnologydelivers.
THE LOGIC OF FCS
1
FCS DOMINATES ACROSS THE SPECTRUM OF CONFLICT
Soldiers Conducting NetworkEnabled Land Warfare
Network EnabledAir and Naval Operations
Dominate Land Battle Dominate Air & Sea Battle
AttheheartoftheFCSconceptisawirelessnetworkthatlinks
each soldier to all the capabilities of the joint force, enabling
unprecedentedgainsinbattlefieldawareness,precision,protection
and agility. But unlike other networking initiatives begun under
the banner of transformation, Future Combat Systems has been
shaped by the lessons of combat in Iraq and Afghanistan. The
capabilities it provides are needed today, and the program has
alreadybegundeliveringnewwarfightingtoolstosoldiers.
ThisreportexplainsthebasiclogicofFutureCombatSystems,
detailinghowtheprogramwouldenableeachsoldier toachieve
combatobjectivesmoresafelyandsuccessfully.Italsodescribes
howFCSwouldimprovefunctionsperformedfarfromthebattlefield,
suchastrainingandlogistics.Thereportconsistsoffourparts:
• Anexaminationoftheemergingthreatsthatmade
FCSnecessary.
• AnexpositionofhowFCSusesnewtechnologyto
addressthosethreats.
• Anexplanationofwhyspecificelementswereincluded
inthefinalFCSdesign.
• AnexplorationofhowsoldiersequippedwithFCSwill
bebetterabletofightandwin.
FutureCombatSystems isnota traditionalweaponsystem,
it is a framework for waging war in a period of rapid and
unpredictablechange.Itassumesthattheindividualsoldierwill
remainatthecenteroflandwarfarefortheforeseeablefuture,and
therefore seeks to equip that soldierwith competencies and
capabilities thatwouldhavebeen impossible in an earlier time.
ThefactthattheArmybelievesthiscanbeaccomplishedforbarely
fourpercentofitsbudgetoverthenexttwodecadesisatestamentto
thepotentialofnewtechnologyandtheskillofAmericansoldiers.
Duringthe20thCentury,democracywasthreatenedbythree
great waves of danger. Imperialism causedWorldWar One.
FascismcausedWorldWarTwo.CommunismcausedtheCold
War.Ineachcase,dictatorstriedtoharnesstheindustrialmightof
theirnationstohalthumanity’slongmarchtofreedom.Theywere
defeatedbecausewesterndemocracieswerebetteratdevelopingand
employingnewtoolsofwar,fromtankstosubmarinestobombersto
ballisticmissiles.
Today, both the threats that endanger democracy and the
technologiesthatdefinewarfightinghavechanged.Thepossibility
ofconventionalcombatwithotherindustrialpowerspersists,but
inadditionadiverse collectionof newenemieshas emerged --
suicidebombers, insurgents,weapons traffickers,cyber-terrorists
--whouseunconventional tacticstosubvert freedom.Allof the
enemies,newandold,benefitfromtheavailabilityoftechnologies
likecellphonesandtheinternetthatenablethemtocarryoutmass
murderwhileeludingdetectionordirectcombat.
CHANGING THREATS CREATED THE NEED FOR FCS
3
FCS DOMINATES ACROSS THE SPECTRUM OF CONFLICT
Robotic vehicles are heavily used by U.S. forces in Iraq to clear buildings, search for roadside bombs and in general keep soldiers out of dangerous situations. The prototype Small Unmanned Ground Vehicle shown in this FCS exercise will provide a robotic system that is more portable and versatile than those in use today.
To a greater degree than in the past, today’s adversaries
operateonthegroundratherthanintheairorontheseas.They
hideincitiesandmountainsandjungles,wheretheirmovements
arenearlyimpossibletotrackusingremotesensingdevices.The
onlywaytheycanbefoundanddefeatedistoconfrontthemonthe
terraintheyhavechosen,employingbettertoolsandtacticstowin
overlocalpeoplewhilegraduallywearingtheenemydown.
Astheworld’sleadingpractitioneroflandwarfare,America’s
Armyfacestwofundamentalchallengesinpreparingforthisrapidly
changinglandscape.First,itmustfieldaforcethatcansurviveand
wininplaceswhereallthetraditionalfeaturesofabattlefield--front
lines,enemyformations,secureareas--aremissing.Theelusive
adversariesthatinhabitsuchsettingswilloftenbeindistinguishable
fromnoncombatantsandwillemploymethodsutterlyatoddswith
thelawsofwar.YettheArmymustexhibitrestraintandsensitivityif
itistowinthesupportofcivilianswhoarethekeytovictory.
Second, the Army somehow must posture itself for
unconventional warfare while still being prepared to cope with
thehigh-intensity aggression likely to bemountedbyother
industrializedcountries.ManyoftheforeignmilitariestheArmy
mighthavetofightinthefuturewillpossesskillingsystemsmore
lethalthananythingithasfacedinthepast,includingnervegas,
pathogensandevennuclearweapons.Theunpredictabilityofcombat
in a world where traditional threats are more potent and
non-traditional threats are more numerous convinced Army
leadersanewapproachtowarfarewasneeded.
Future Combat Systems was conceived to prepare each
soldier for the full spectrumof future conflict, frompeacekeeping
to counter-insurgency to conventional combat. It does this
by integrating technology, training and tactics in a posture
thatprovideseachwarfighterwithunprecedentedagilityand
awareness.Thecoreofthesystemisaresilientwirelessnetwork
thattiestogetherallfriendlyforcesinawarzone,enablingthemto
shareinformationandcapabilities.Thenetworkwillenableclosely
coordinatedmaneuversbymannedandunmannedvehicles that
afford far greater survivability and firepower than the coldwar
systemscurrentlydominatingtheforce.
TheArmydoesnotharborany illusions that technologycan
taketheplaceofthehumanelementinwarfare.ThegoalofFCS
istoharnessnewtechnologyinsupportofsoldiers,sothatthey
canapply their skills and imagination unhampered by lack of
information or chores best left to machines. For example,
wide-areasurveillanceisperformedbyunmannedaerialvehicles
andsearchesofdangerousplacesliketunnelsisconductedwith
smallrobots,tacticsalreadytestedinIraqandAfghanistan(where
4,000robotsand1,000unmannedaerialvehiclesareinusetoday).
TheFCSdesignusesnewtechnologytosupportfourbasicgoals:
connection,detection,protectionandprojection.
HOW FCS TECHNOLOGY HELPS SOLDIERS
5
CONNECT-DETECT-PROJECT-PROTECT
Connectionisthemostfundamentalgoal,becauseitislack
ofcommunicationamongsoldiersthatcreatestheconfusionand
mistakespractitionerscall“thefogofwar.”FCSequipseachsoldier
andvehiclewithredundantlinkstoalltheotherfriendlyforcesin
thewarzone,sothereisnodoubtaboutwherefriendlyforcesare.
Every soldierwill share a commonoperating picture created by
fusing togetherobservations fromhundredsofdifferentplaces in
thebattlearea.Thispervasiveconnectivitywillpermittheforceto
coordinateitsmaneuversmuchmoreprecisely,maximizingeffects
againstenemieswhileminimizingthefratricidecausedbyfriendlyfire.
Detection of elusive adversaries quickly is a second goal
indispensable to thesurvivalandsuccessofU.S. forces. The
connectivityprovidedbytheFCSnetworkallowseachwarfighterto
generatereconnaissanceforthewholeforce,becauseobservations
canbeprocessedandsharedat thespeedof light. Inaddition,
theentirebattleareawillbefilledwithlow-costsensors,manyof
themunattended,thatcancollectandfusetelltalesignsofenemy
presence--fromthesoundofbootstotheheatofenginestothe
electricalemissionsofcellphones.Informationcollectedbyother
militaryservicesandintelligenceagencieswillbecontinuouslyfed
intotheArmy’snetworkandintegratedwithsoldierreconnaissance
in a composite picture that is easily interpreted. Unpleasant
surpriseswillstilloccur,buttheywillbelessfrequentandlessfatal.
ProtectionofU.S.forcesagainstawiderangeofconventional
andunconventionalkillmechanismswillbeengineeredintoevery
FCSvehicle,andintotheequipmentandbodyarmoreverysoldier
uses. TheArmyhas learned the lessonof Iraq thatwell-defined
front linesarea thingof thepast, soFCSprovideseachsoldier
withpassiveandactivedefenses fargreater than those found in
existingfightingsystems.Forinstance,everymannedvehiclein
theFCSdesignwillprovide360-degreeprotectionagainstmachine
guns, rocket-propelledgrenades, anti-tankweapons, improvised
explosivedevicesandeventheelectromagneticpulseofanuclear
bomb.Notonlywillthevehicleshavebetterarmor,greateragility
andenhancedawarenessofthreats,buttheywillcarrydefensive
weaponsthatcandetectandinterceptincomingprojectiles.
Projection is the ability tomove forces to remote locations
quickly,agoalthathasbeencentraltothedesignofFCSfromits
inception.RapiddeploymenthasalwaysbeenachallengeforU.S.
forcesbecauseofthelongdistancesfromAmericatotherestofthe
world,andtheadvantagesofimprovedtransportationl ikecargo
jetshavebeenundercutby thegrowingweightand logistical
requirements of the modern Army. Future Combat Systems
addressesthechallengeoffastprojectionbygreatlyreducingthe
weightofvehicles,therequirementsforskilledmanpower,andthe
volumeofsuppliesthatmustbemoved.Thewholeforcebecomes
easier tomove, and supply problems are further reduced by a
networkthatcontinuallymonitorswarfighterneeds.
7
FCS unattended sensors will monitor enemy movements in cities and remote terrain without requiring U.S. soldiers to be present.
A ROBUST, RESILIENT COMMUNICATIONS NETWORKSpace Layer•CommercialSATCOM•WidebandGlobalSystem (WGS)•AdvancedEHF(AEHF)•MobileUserObjectiveSystem (MUOS)
Aerial Layer•UnmannedAerialVehicles (UAV)•JointTacticalRadioSystem (JTRS)•WarfighterInformation Network-Tactical (WIN-T)
Terrestrial Layer•JointTacticalRadioSystem (JTRS)•WarfighterInformation Network-Tactical (WIN-T)
•SoldierRadioWaveform (SRW)
•WidebandNetworking Waveform(WNW)
The challenge of sustaining a fast-moving force in the field
deservesfurtherdiscussion,becauselogisticshasoftenprovento
betheAchillesHeelofarmiesinthepast.FutureCombatSystems
hasbeendesignedtogreatlyreducethemaintenanceandsupport
burdensassociatedwithprotractedoperationsinplaceslikeIraq.
AnFCSbrigadecombatteamwillbeabletosustainitselfatahigh
operatingtempofor three timesaslongasoneof today’sheavy
brigades while only fielding a third asmany support personnel
due to smart design and operational concepts. Today’s combat
vehicles require an hour ofmaintenance for every two hours of
operations,butFCSwillraisethatratiotoonemaintenancehour
forevery20operationalhoursbyusingcommonpartsacross
thefleet,simplifyingrepairtasks,andanticipatingproblemsbefore
theyarise.A typicalFCSbrigadewillsave$1.5billionperyear
insupportcostscomparedwithtoday’sunits,sotheprogramwill
quicklypayforitselfinreducedfuel,partsandpersonneloutlays.
Theinformationrevolutionhasspawnedhundredsofinnovations
potentiallyrelevanttotheconductoflandwarfare.TheArmyand
itscontractorshadtosortthroughtheseinnovationstodetermine
whichoffered themost leverage in futurecombat,andhow they
couldbe integrated intoaflexible, resilient forceposture. Itwas
decidedearlyonthatthebasicfightingunitofthefutureshouldbe
abrigadecombatteamratherthanthebigger,morecumbersome
divisionsofcoldwaryears(acoldwarbrigadetypicallyconsisted
ofover10,000troopsorganizedinthreebrigades).
Future Combat Systems has been designed around the
anticipated warfighting needs of tomorrow’s brigade combat
teams. Notonlywill it fullyequipaselectportionoftheArmy’s
brigades,butitwillprovideconnectivityandawarenesstoallthe
otherbrigadesintheforcetofashionatrulyunifiedfightingforce.
Eventually the entire active and reserve-component forcewill be
equippedwithFCStechnology,butintheneartermthemainthrustof
developmenthasbeenfocusedonthebrigadesthatwillbeequipped
withthefullrangeofnewsystems,beginningearlyinthenextdecade.
Manyof thenewsystemsarebeingdeployed to thecurrent
force in IraqandAfghanistanas theybecomeavailable,but the
overallFCSconceptcannotbegraspedwithoutdelineatingthecore
elementsthatafullymodernizedbrigadewouldcontain.TheArmy
sometimesusestheshorthandof14+1+1todescribethesecore
elements,meaningthatthereare14newwarfightingsystemsplus
anetworkplusthesoldier,withthesoldierbeingatthecenterofthe
wholescheme.IfanFCSbrigadecombatteamwerealivingbeing,
thentheindividualsoldierwouldbeitsbrain,thenetworkwouldbe
theconnectivetissueintegratingalloftheappendages,andthe14
warfightingsystemswouldbethearms,legsandsensoryapparatus
withwhichthesoldierperceivesandshapesthebattlefield.
THE CORE ELEMENTS OF FCS
9
An unmanned Multifunctional Utility/Logistics & Equipment (MULE)vehicledesignedforuseininfantryandairassaultoperations.
The Fire Scout unmanned aerial vehicle will enable combat units to view contested areas from above with a variety of sensors. Recent combat experience has demonstrated a need for aerial surveillance systems that can be used quickly by troops under fire.
The FCS network is sometimes described as the central
elementintheoveralldesign,butthatisonlytrueinanengineering
sense.Therealcentralelementistheindividualsoldier,because
itisunlikelythatmachinescouldevertaketheplaceofseasoned
warfighters inapplyingexperience, judgmentand imagination to
thedynamicdemandsofcombat.IntheFCSconcept,thenetwork
andthevariouswarfightingsystemsitconnectsaresimplyextensions
oftheindividualsoldier,designedtosupporthisneedsandexecute
hisdecisions.
However, that is no easy task on amodern battlefield, and
thenetworkthatprovidesthe“glue”forFutureCombatSystemsisa
multi-layeredsystemfarsurpassingthecapabilitiesofanyexisting
warfightingnetwork.Amongotherthings,theFCSnetworkmustsupport:
• Acommonoperatingpictureforallsoldiersinthewarzone.
• Aresilientcommunicationslinkforwarfighterson
themove.
• Acommandmechanismforclosecoordinationof
dispersedforces.
• Aplanningenvironmentforde-conflicting
diversemissions.
• Afusionsystemforquicklyintegratingandsharing
vitalintelligence.
Thechallengeofperformingtheseandotherchoresismade
muchharderbytheneedtowithstandenemyattemptstodestroy
orsubvert thenetwork.TheArmyrejectsthenotionof“network-
centric”warfare because itminimizes thehumandimensionsof
combat.Butserviceleadersdowanttotransitiontoa“network-
enabled”postureinwhichwarfightersenjoyallthebenefitsofnew
information technology in terms of connectivity, awareness and
protection. That requiresprovidingeachsoldierwithnetwork
access that is reliable, resilientand robust even in the faceof
severeaggressionsuchastheuseofnuclearweapons.
The 14 warfighting systems included in each FCS brigade
combat teamwill consist of eight typesofmannedground
vehicles and a var ie ty of unmanned systems such as
reconnaissancedronesandbattlefieldsensors.Theeightmanned
vehicles are next-generation armored systems using a common
chassisthataredesignedtoprovidegreatlyenhanceddeployability
andprotectionwhilereducinglogisticalburdensinthewarzone.
Likeexistingarmoredvehicles, theFCSmannedgroundvehicles
willperformarangeoffunctionsfromprecisionfirepowertoinfantry
transporttotacticalreconnaissance,buttheywillbemuchlighter
thancurrentvehicles--withoutsacrificingsurvivability.Theywill
alsobemucheasiertorepairandmaintain.Mostofthesensorsin
theFCSnetworkarecarriedonthesevehicles.
11
FCS SENSOR CAPABILITIES
•Everysensor&vehicleisanodeonthenetwork•Tacticaltonationalsensorslinkedinnearrealtime
Layered,networkedsensorsprovidelocationandidentificationforthreatactivities
UAVCLIV Joint Air ISR
Apache, Armed Recon Helicopter
Reconnaissance&SurveillanceSatellites
UAVCLII
UAVCLIV
R&SV
UAVCLI
ARV-RSTAC2VNLOS-LS
•FinishDecisively•ActFirst
•UnderstandFirst•SeeFirst
UGSIMS
MCSARV-A
NLOS-C
ICV
The six unmanned warfighting systems include two aircraft
used for reconnaissance and surveillance, unattended ground
systemsformonitoringenemymovementsandprovidingtactical
firepower,and roboticvehicles thatcan freesoldiers fromhighly
dangerousorroutinetasks.Theunmannedaircraftwouldenable
soldiers at the platoon and brigade levels to conduct airborne
reconnaissanceof thegroundwithouthaving to relyonmanned
aircraft.Theunattendedgroundsystemswouldpermitwarfighters
todetectandrespondtohostileactionsintheclutterofcitiesand
jungleswithout having to leavepersonnel in exposed locations.
Theroboticvehicleswouldimproveonsystemsalreadyinusein
IraqandAfghanistanforprobingminefields,searchingbuildings,
anddeliveringsupplies.
The real value of Future Combat Systems resides not in its
advancedtechnologyorinnovativeoperatingprinciples,butinthe
wayitanswersthekeyquestionsthatanysoldierincombatmust
pose. Wherearemy friends? Where is theenemy? Howdo I
defendmyself?HowtoIdefeatmyfoe?Whensoldiersareunder
fireandlivesarebeinglost,thosearethefirstquestionstheyask.
FCS is designed to provide the right answers fast -- not just to
commanders,buttoeveryfriendlysoldierinthecombatzone.
Wherearemyfriends?
Eachvehicleanddismountedsoldierwill carryanetworked
globalpositioningdevice thatcontinuously informsother friendly
forcesoftheirpreciselocationandmovements.Inaddition,all
troopswill be connected by a flexible, resilient communications
systemthatallowsthemtosharewhattheysee,whattheyhear,
andwhatthesensorstheycarryaredetecting.Theseobservations
areinstantaneouslyfedintoasystemthatintegrates,interpretsand
displaysallrelevantinformationina“commonoperatingpicture”
availabletoeveryvehicleintheforce.Notonlywillthisconstantly
updatedpicture reportwhereeachsoldier is,but itwill combine
localobservationswiththereconnaissanceofotherjointsensors
suchasunmannedaircraftcirclingoverheadandsatellites.FCS
thuswill pierce the “fog ofwar”more effectively than any other
combatnetwork inhistory,andshare itsbenefitswith individual
soldiersatthespeedoflight.
Whereistheenemy?
Theintegrated,layeredreconnaissancesystemmadepossible
bynetworkedsensorsenablessoldiersto“seefirst,understandfirst,
actfirst.”Mannedandunmannedsensorswillbescatteredacross
andabovethebattlefieldinaseamlesswebthatcanseethrough
darkness,clouds,smokeandelectronicinterference.Therewillbe
multipleperspectivesoneveryevent,sothatgeographyimposes
nolimitationsonsoldiersingraspingwhatishappening.Allofthe
actionsofpossibleenemieswillbetrackedinexquisitedetail,and
thendisplayedinaformthatiseasytoacton.Reconnaissance
inputscanbeeasilymanipulatedbyfriendlyforcestohighlightor
retaskspecificsensors,andthenthefindingscanbequicklyshared
withotherunits.Fewenemieswillbeabletoescapedetectionbythis
pervasivenetwork,andfewerstillwillenjoythekindofsituational
awarenessU.S.forcespossessduringeverymomentofcombat.
FCS IN ACTION
13
The Non-Line-of-Sight Cannon developed for the FCS program will provide high rates of precision
fire on an easily-deployed vehicle. It will be much easier to sustain in the field than existing
artillery due to reduced logistics requirements and simplified maintenance procedures.
HowdoIdefendmyself?
Superiorsituationalawarenessisakeyfeatureoftheprotection
affordedeachsoldierbyFutureCombatSystems,butitisonlythe
beginning. FCS technologyprovidesaspectrumofactiveand
passive counters to enemyattacks ranging from stronger armor
andgreateragilitytoelectroniccountermeasuresandan“active
protectionsystem”thatdetectsandinterceptsincomingprojectiles
before they impact on vehicles. Vehicle designs have been
formulated to provide the best protection available against
improvisedexplosivedevices,anti-tankweapons,rocket-propelled
grenades, machine gun fire and even such exotic killing
mechanisms as nerve gas and nuclear effects. In addition,
unmanned systems will be used in place of soldiers on some
missionswherethereisahighdangerofexposuretoattack.Many
FCSforceprotectioninnovationswillbeinfusedintolegacyvehicles
asthenewtechnologyisfielded,butthereisnowaythatolder
vehiclescanbemadeassafeasnew-designsystemsincorporating
allofthelatesttechnology.
HowdoIdefeatmyfoe?
Comprehensive networking of friendly forces will enable
carefully synchronized maneuvers that enemies cannot match.
When combined with detailed, timely situational awareness
underthemosttryingbattlefieldconditions,Americansoldierswill
be able to use the precision lethality delivered by FCS firepower
tomaximumeffect.Mostofthemannedgroundvehiclesandall
dismounted soldiers will be equipped with weapons that far
surpassexistingdevicesinprecision,reach,ratesoffire,reliability
andmaintainability. Inaddition,soldierswillhave theoptionof
employingunmannedkillingsystemsoperatingonorabove the
battlefield. The effectiveness of Army weapons will be further
enhancedbytheabilitytodeploythemquickly,andthensupport
them in thefieldwithanagile,highlyaccurate logisticssystem.
Theendresult isaspectrumoffirepoweroptionsthatwillpermit
tailored effects against any adversary whileminimizing adverse
consequencesfornoncombatants.
Nosingleprogramcansolveeveryproblemthemilitaryfaces.
Fundingwillalwaysbelimited,thefuturewillalwaysbeunpredictable,
and new technology is no substitute forwell-trained troops or
inspiredleadership.Butwithintheconstraintsthatlimitallmilitary
initiatives,FutureCombatSystemsseemstoofferthebestsolution
toemergingArmyneeds.Notonlycanitcopewiththefullrange
ofprospectivethreatsandcontingencies,butitleveragesareasin
whichAmericahasuniqueadvantages--fromthesophisticationof
itssensorstotheinitiativeofitssoldiers.FCSwouldnotbeagood
matchfortheconscriptedmilitaryofaforeigndictatorship,butits
designspeaksdirectlytotheintelligence,disciplineandvaluesof
America’sall-volunteerforce.
15
THE BOTTOM LINE: FCS IS THE BEST SOLUTION
FCSbattlefieldsensorswillgreatlyenhancethesituationalawarenessofsoldiers,bolsteringsurvivalrates.
Withinthatframework,therearefivekeypointsaboutFuture
Combat Systems that explain why it is likely to remain the
centerpieceofArmymodernizationfortheforeseeablefuture:
• Withouttheimprovementsinagility,awarenessand
protectiondeliveredbyFCS,manysoldiersaregoingtodie
unnecessarilyonfuturebattlefieldsasemerging
threatsmature.
• FCStechnologyisalreadymakingadifferenceontoday’s
battlefields,becausenewcapabilitiesarebeingfieldedas
theybecomeavailableinresponsetoneedsidentifiedby
soldiersinIraqandAfghanistan.
• Theprice-tagforfieldingFCSoverthenext20years
representsbarelyfourpercentofprojectedArmyspending
duringthatperiod,andwillenabletheservicetoavoidthe
costofmaintainingmanylegacysystems.
• IfFCSisscaledback,asimilaramountofmoney(ormore)
willneedtobespentonalternatives,sincecoldwar
systemsareoverdueforreplacementandcannotcopewith
emergingdangers.
• FCSisn’tjustthecenterpieceofArmymodernization,it
alsoenablesotherfacetsofimprovementbyprovidingthe
concepts,capabilitiesandsystemsthatwilldefinetheentire
futureArmy.
Thus,theArmyhasnopracticalalternativetoproceedingwith
FutureCombatSystems.Itistheonlyintegratedsolutiontofuture
warfightingneeds thatfitswithin the frameworkof feasibilityand
affordabilityconstrainingallmilitaryefforts.Awholegenerationof
Armyleadershavestressedthe importanceof thecapabilities
thatFCSwilldeliver,andnowtheoperationalneedsstatements
being generated by soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan confirm
thatthosecapabilitiesareindeedrequiredinthefieldassoon
as possible. Whatever challenges the future may hold for
America’s warfighters, Future Combat Systems is the closest
thingtheArmyhastoananswer.
FCS lightweight aerial reconnaissance systems can be easily carried andcontrolledbytroopsinthefield.
PrintedintheUnitedStatesofAmericaApril2008
1600WilsonBoulevard•Suite900•Arlington,Virginia22209tel703.522.5828•fax703.522.5837
www.lexingtoninstitute.org•mail@lexingtoninstitute.org
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