SHIFTING GEARS
Addressing metrics such as cost, sched- ule, technical performance and maturity, as well as transition planning with Army partners in the program executive office (PEO) community, RDECOM also ensured that funding was preserved for enabling
technologies and potentially
disruptive technologies that show prom- ise for acceleration.
To support the multidomain battle of the future, maintaining the right bal- ance of technologies in development and keeping the technology pipeline full will be critical.
While we evaluated how to accelerate technologies to match the six moderniza- tion priorities, we also had to ensure that resources were available within the exist- ing budgetary framework. Tat meant reviewing previously approved funding strategies and shifting the emphasis on planned and ongoing work to focus on the new modernization priorities.
Based on these discussions, the Army’s senior leaders made investment and divestment decisions that will affect all of
senior leadership laid a strategic S&T foundation for RDECOM and its hun- dreds of U.S. and international partners in industry, academia and other govern- ment agencies as it drives R&D internally.
As RDECOM adjusts its sights on the relatively distant target, the command’s S&T advisers are engaged with the Modernization Task Force and cross- functional teams as they explore the framework of an organization to spe- cifically address Army modernization. Te new futures command will leverage commercial innovations, cutting-edge S&T and warfighter feedback to develop modernization requirements, concept validation and experimental prototypes, and drive capabilities to Soldiers.
To support this effort, RDECOM’s sci- entists and engineers will provide the expertise and knowledge for the cross- functional teams to explore technology to build new capabilities and systems that will give Soldiers a decisive edge in battle.
the Army’s S&T accounts for fiscal
years 2019 through 2023. Tis resulted in a shift of $1.2 billion with focus on the Army’s six modernization priorities. Tis major review and shift in resources with
AS TECHNOLOGY EVOLVES Many Army technologies have evolved through the years, as Soldiers’ needs changed, along with how battles were fought. For example, Soldiers used the M1 combat helmet, also known as the “steel pot,” from World War II until
1985. While this helmet, made of man- ganese steel, was effective for many years, Soldiers needed more protection as weapons became more powerful and sophisticated and we better understood the effects of blast on the human body. As military operations became more complex and Soldiers needed to carry more equipment, which can vary from 80 to 100 pounds depending on the mis- sion, the Army required a lighter helmet.
In response to this need and to provide better protection, the Advanced Combat Helmet was developed. Te helmet, which uses Kevlar and is 24 percent lighter than the steel pot, provides greater protection and reduces fatigue and stress
for Sol-
diers. Used in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Advanced Combat Helmet was replaced in 2014 by the Enhanced Combat Hel- met, which incorporates lighter materials and provides enhanced ballistic protec- tion. Te lightweight helmet consists of a ballistic shell, suspension pads and a four- point strap, as well as a reversible helmet cover, a bracket for night vision goggles and attachments for additional hardware and devices.
Technologies often begin as prototypes. Prototypes enable us to refine tech- nologies and mitigate technology gaps, eliminating the need to procure large
DESIGNS FOR THE FUTURE
Dr. Paul D. Rogers, center, director of the U.S. Army Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC), shows Undersecretary of the Army Ryan D. McCarthy a combat vehicle design from a Soldier Innovation Workshop during a Jan. 18 tour of TARDEC. The workshop brings together the industrial design skills of students from Detroit’s College for Creative Studies and the battlefield experience of Soldiers to develop innovative approaches to Army projects. (U.S. Army photo by Sean Kimmons, Defense Media Activity – Army)
48
Army AL&T Magazine
April-June 2018
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