The US Army is moving forward with plans for a new Unmanned Ground Commercial Robotic Vehicle (UGCRV) prototype aimed at enhancing the operational capabilities of Armored Brigade Combat Teams. In a recent request for information, the Army outlined specifications for the UGCRV, which necessitates a robust platform that can carry over 2,200 pounds (998 kilograms) and operate seamlessly on both paved roads and rugged terrain. Importantly, the vehicle is expected to maintain pace with dismounted soldiers, highlighting its role as a versatile support asset.
Operators will have the capability to control the UGCRV remotely; however, it will also feature autonomous functions for various missions, such as following troops, monitoring designated areas, or navigating to pre-defined locations. The Army emphasized that additional hardware should not hinder the UGCRV’s performance, ensuring it meets operational demands. Each unit is budgeted at a maximum of $650,000, with the initiative managed by the Army Contracting Command – Detroit Arsenal in collaboration with the National Advanced Mobility Consortium. Responses from interested parties are due in the current month.
The inception of the UGCRV effort builds on the foundation set by the Army’s Robotic Combat Vehicle (RCV) program, which was launched in 2019 as part of the broader Next Generation Combat Vehicle initiative aimed at replacing aging armored systems. Initially, the program envisioned variants across light, medium, and heavy categories, with weights ranging from 10 to 30 tons (9,072 to 27,216 kilograms) and capabilities for air transport.
However, in 2023, the military decided to refocus the RCV program on a lighter variant to create a common chassis before addressing larger configurations. By the summer of 2024, prototypes from firms including McQ, Textron Systems, General Dynamics Land Systems, and Oshkosh Defense were slated for testing, which included evaluations at the National Training Center and assessments of off-road autonomy software, with development planned to continue through December 2024. In May 2025, Textron Systems was declared the winner of the RCV development competition.
Nonetheless, the RCV initiative encountered significant challenges shortly thereafter when Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll and Chief of Staff General Randy George responded to a memo from Pentagon Chief Pete Hegseth, which called for reforms in modernization and acquisition practices put forth during the Trump Administration. This directive underscored the cancellation of programs deemed “dated, late-to-need, overpriced, or difficult-to-maintain,” which included the RCV pathway that was anticipated to award contracts at that time.
The developments signal a critical shift in the Army’s approach to modernization, reflecting the complexities of integrating advanced systems into their operational framework while ensuring cost-effective and reliable solutions.
