Download or read book Issues Facing the Army s Future Combat Systems Program written by Paul L. Francis and published by DIANE Publishing. This book was released on 2004-05-03 with total page 44 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In Oct. 1999, the U.S. Army announced plans to transform into a more strategically responsive force that could more rapidly deploy and effectively operate in all types of military operations, whether small-scale contingencies or major theater wars. The Future Combat Systems (FCS) program is to provide the suite of weaponry and other equipment for the transformed force. The Army plans to develop a family of 18 systems under the FCS program. Because of its size, the FCS program will dominate the Army's investment accounts over the next decade. This report contains the full 2003 GAO briefing given to the staff of the U.S. House of Representatives Comm. on Armed Services and of Army and DoD officials associated with the FCS program. Charts and tables.

Download or read book Issues Facing the Army s Future Combat Systems Program written by United States Government Accountability Office and published by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform. This book was released on 2018-02-03 with total page 46 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Issues Facing the Army's Future Combat Systems Program

Download or read book Defense Acquisitions written by Paul L. Francis and published by DIANE Publishing. This book was released on 2008-07 with total page 43 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Army¿s Future Combat System (FCS) requires a software-based advanced information network to meld people, sensors, and weapons into a cohesive fighting force. As software controls 95% of FCS¿s functionality, it determines the success or failure of the program. The Army contracted with the Boeing Co. as a lead systems integrator to define, develop and integrate FCS, including software development. This report addresses risks facing the development of network and software, the practices being used to manage software, and the timing of key network demonstrations. Includes recommendations. Charts and tables.

Download or read book Issues Facing the Army s Future Combat Systems Program written by Paul L. Francis and published by . This book was released on 2003 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Gao 03 1010r Issues Facing the Army s Future Combat Systems Program written by United States Government Accountability Office and published by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform. This book was released on 2017-10-19 with total page 46 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: GAO-03-1010R Issues Facing the Army's Future Combat Systems Program

Download or read book Defense Acquisitions Issues to Be Considered for Army s Modernization of Combat Systems written by Paul L. Francis and published by DIANE Publishing. This book was released on 2010-11 with total page 18 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Future Combat System (FCS) has been at the center of the Army's efforts to become a lighter, more agile, and more capable combat force by replacing existing combat systems with a family of manned and unmanned vehicles and systems, linked by an advanced info. network. To meet the challenges of FCS's scope and schedule, the Army contracted with Boeing to be lead systems integrator, to help define, develop, and integrate FCS systems. This statement reviews aspects of FCS that should be considered for inclusion in future efforts, aspects that were problematic and need re-examination, and considerations for shaping future Army ground force modernization. Illustrations.

Download or read book Lessons from the Army s Future Combat Systems Program written by Christopher G. Pernin and published by Rand Corporation. This book was released on 2012 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The U.S. Army's Future Combat Systems program aimed to field an ambitious system of systems, with novel technologies integrated via an advanced wireless network. The largest and most ambitious planned acquisition program in the Army's history, it was cancelled in 2009, and some of its efforts transitioned to follow-on programs. This report documents the program's complex history and draws lessons from its experiences.

Download or read book The Army s Future Combat System FCS written by Andrew Feickert and published by . This book was released on 2007 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Future Combat System (FCS) was a multiyear, multibillion dollar program at the heart of the Army's transformation efforts. It was to be the Army's major research, development, and acquisition program consisting of 14 manned and unmanned systems tied together by an extensive communications and information network. FCS was intended to replace current systems such as the M-1 Abrams tank and the M-2 Bradley infantry fighting vehicle. The FCS program has been characterized by the Army and others as a high-risk venture due to the advanced technologies involved and the challenge of networking all of the FCS subsystems together so that FCS-equipped units could function as intended. The FCS program exists in a dynamic national security environment which ultimately played a role in determining the program's fate. Some questioned if FCS, envisioned and designed prior to September 11, 2001 to combat conventional land forces, was relevant in current and anticipated future conflicts where counterinsurgency and stabilization operations are expected to be the norm. The Army contended, however, that FCS was relevant throughout the "entire spectrum of conflict" and that a number of FCS technologies and systems were effectively used in counterinsurgency and stabilization campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan. On April 6, 2009, Secretary of Defense Gates announced that he intended to significantly restructure the FCS program. The Department of Defense (DOD) plans to accelerate the spin out of selected FCS technologies to all brigade combat teams (BCTs) but will recommend canceling the manned ground vehicle (MGV) component of the program, which was intended to field eight separate tracked combat vehicle variants built on a common chassis that would eventually replace combat vehicles such as the M-1 Abrams tank, the M-2 Bradley infantry fighting vehicle, and the M-109 Paladin self-propelled artillery system. Secretary Gates was concerned that there were significant unanswered questions in the FCS vehicle design strategy and that despite some adjustments to the MGVs, they did not adequately reflect the lessons of counterinsurgency and close quarters combat in Iraq and Afghanistan. Secretary Gates also critical that the FCS program did not include a role for Mine-Resistant, Ambush-Protected (MRAP) vehicles that have been used successfully in current conflicts. After re-evaluating requirements, technology, and approach, DOD will re-launch the Army's vehicle modernization program, including a competitive bidding process. Plans for transition from the FCS program to a new program where the Army intends to modernize all BCTs with remaining FCS technologies will likely be of critical congressional interest. The developments of a new Ground Combat Vehicle (GCV) to replace the canceled MGVs could also be subject to congressional debate and oversight

Download or read book The Army s Future Combat System Program written by Christian N. Feliciano and published by Nova Science Publishers. This book was released on 2009 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book provides information on the issue of the capabilities and affordability of the FCS program. The Future Combat System (FCS) is the U.S. Army's multi-year, multi-billion dollar program at the heart of the Army's transformation efforts. It is the Army's major research, development, and acquisition program consisting of 14 manned and unmanned systems tied together by an extensive communications and information network. The FCS program exists in a dynamic national security environment which could significantly influence the program's outcome. The primary issues presented to 110th Congress are the capabilities and affordability of the FCS program, and the likelihood, given a myriad of factors, that the Army will be able to field its first FCS-equipped brigade by 2014 and eventually field up to 15 FCS-equipped brigades. This book will address a variety of issues including the program's timeline, budget, program management issues, current program developmental progress and challenges, and FCS's relevance in the current and potential future security environments.

Download or read book Defense Acquisitions written by David G. Ahern and published by DIANE Publishing. This book was released on 2009-12 with total page 59 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Future Combat System (FCS) program is the centerpiece of the Army's effort to transition to a lighter, more agile, and more capable combat force. The law requires the DoD to hold a milestone review of the FCS program, now planned for 2009. This report addresses: (1) what knowledge will likely be available in key areas for the review; and (2) the challenges that lie ahead following the review. To meet these objectives, the auditor reviewed key documents, performed analysis, attended demonstrations and design reviews, and interviewed DoD officials. Illustrations.

Download or read book Definitiver Plan zu einem neuen Mittelklassenlesebuch f r den Kanton Bern written by and published by . This book was released on with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Defense Acquisitions the Army s Future Combat Systems Features Risks and Alternatives written by Paul L. Francis and published by DIANE Publishing. This book was released on 2008-12 with total page 27 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: To become a more responsive and dominant combat force, the U.S. Army is changing its strategy from bigger and stronger weapons to faster and more agile ones. The Future Combat Systems (FCS) -- which the Army calls the ¿greatest technology and integration challenge ever undertaken¿ -- is expected to meet the Army¿s transformational objectives. For FCS¿ first developmental increment, the Army has set aside a 5-1/2-year timetable from program start (May 2003) until the initial production decision (Nov. 2008). This testimony is about FCS¿ key features, whether the program carries any risks, and, if so, whether there are alternatives for developing FCS capabilities with fewer risks. Illustrations.

Download or read book Analysis of the Army s Transformation Programs and Possible Alternatives written by Frances M. Lussier and published by DIANE Publishing. This book was released on 2010 with total page 77 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Army has initiated two programs designed to transform itself from a force focused on fighting the Cold War to one better designed to face the challenges of the 21st century. Those two programs, the Modularity Initiative and the Future Combat Systems (FCS) program, would change the way the Army is organized and equipped, respectively. This study considers the near- and long-term implications of those two programs. It also examines three alternatives for modernizing the Army¿s combat forces using modified versions of the FCS program and estimates the costs and savings of those options as well as their effects on the Army¿s ability to introduce new technologies into its combat brigades. ¿An objective, impartial analysis.¿ Charts and tables.

Download or read book Early Lessons Learned from the Army s Future Combat Systems Program FCS written by Joseph Yakovac and published by . This book was released on 2007 with total page 27 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Future Combat System (FCS) program is, without a doubt, the most challenging modernization program ever attempted by the Army. The requirement defines the need to develop and field a fully integrated system-of-systems consisting of manned ground vehicles, unmanned ground systems, and unmanned aerial systems -- all connected by a complex network. The program is in its fifth year of System Development and Demonstration. Despite two restructures, due to reprioritizations of dollars within the Army and budget cuts imposed by Congress, the program remains on schedule to deliver capability to the current force in 2010 and, by 2017, to field a fully equipped FCS brigade combat team. To date, most articles, studies, and reports on FCS have focused on the complexities of the task of developing and fielding a system-of-systems and on the unique contractual arrangement between the Army and the program's lead system integrator. This paper provides early lessons learned from the FCS program that may be useful to acquisition professionals facing the challenges of managing the complexity inherent in 21st-century Department of Defense programs.

Download or read book Defense Acquisitions Key Considerations for Planning Future Army Combat Systems written by Paul L. Francis and published by DIANE Publishing. This book was released on 2009-09 with total page 14 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Future Combat System (FCS) program -- which comprises 14 integrated weapon systems and an advanced information network -- is the centerpiece of the Army's effort to transition to a lighter, more agile, and more capable combat force. The substantial technical challenges, the cost of the program, and the Army's acquisition strategy are among the reasons why the program is recognized as needing special oversight and review. This testimony is based on a March 12, 2009 report and addresses knowledge gaps that will persist in the FCS program as Congress is asked to make significant funding commitments for development and production over the next several years. Illustrations.

Download or read book Exploring Advanced Technologies for the Future Combat Systems Program written by and published by . This book was released on 2002 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This report summarizes the research findings of a short-time-frame study conducted by RAND Arroyo Center to support the Army Science Board (ASB) Summer Study 2000 "Technical and Tactical Opportunities for Revolutionary Advances in Rapidly Deployable Joint Ground Forces in the 2015-2020 Era. The purpose of the RAND research was to explore a range of advanced technologies for potential contribution to the Future Combat Systems program; it is intended to be a think piece and is not a guide to the contractors charged with designing the Future Combat Systems. This research represents only one part of the ASB study, focusing specifically on force effectiveness in a notional small-scale contingency and on the associated spectrum of challenges that such a situation might entail. In conducting the study, the research team interacted with various members of the ASB, drawing extensively on their forward-looking ideas and ultimately integrating many of them into the research. High-resolution combat modeling and simulation was used to assess many key aspects of force performance, environmental factors, and system-of-systems interactions within the context of the scenario. This work should be of interest to defense policymakers, military technologists, and concept developers.

Download or read book The Army s Future Combat System FCS written by and published by . This book was released on 2009 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Future Combat System (FCS) is the U.S. Army's multiyear, multibilliondollar program at the heart of the Army's transformation efforts. It is to be the Army's major research, development, and acquisition program consisting of 18 manned and unmanned systems tied together by an extensive communications and information network. FCS is intended to replace such current systems as the M-1 Abrams tank and the M-2 Bradley infantry fighting vehicle with advanced, networked combat systems. The FCS program has been characterized by the Army and others as a high- risk venture due to the advanced technologies involved as well as the challenge of networking all of the FCS subsystems together so that FCSequipped units can function as intended. The FCS program exists in a dynamic national security environment which could significantly influence the program's outcome. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and potential defense budget cuts could play a role in shaping the FCS program. The revised FCS program timeline -- including four "Spin-Outs" whereby equipment is to be tested first by a FCS evaluation brigade and then introduced into the current force -- has extended the program's timeline by four years and has added additional funding requirements, but it has also served to reduce some of the risk associated with this admittedly high-risk venture. The overall FCS program budget has risen steadily since the program's inception and because the program is still in its early stages, its full costs are not yet known. The FCS program is managed by a lead systems integrator group consisting of major defense contractors Boeing and Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC). Although widely criticized, the Army adopted this program management approach because it maintains it did not have the required acquisition, scientific, and engineering staff to manage a program of this complexity and scope. The program's recent conversion from an Other Transaction Authority (OTA) agreement to a Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) contract -- in part due to congressional pressure -- raises concerns regarding increasing program costs as well as the Army's ability to take on a larger role in overseeing and executing this highly complex and technologically risky program. The FCS is experiencing a number of program development issues - with some technologies advancing quicker than anticipated, others progressing along predicted lines, while still others not meeting the Army's expectations. Congress, in its authorization, appropriation, and oversight roles may wish to review the FCS program in terms of its capabilities and program costs. This report will be updated as the situation warrants.