Ongoing Competition for the Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle
The U.S. Army has announced a slight delay in the critical design reviews for the two companies competing to replace the M2 Bradley Fighting Vehicle, but reassured stakeholders that this decision is not anticipated to impact the overall program timeline. American Rheinmetall and General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) are vying for the prestigious XM30 contract, officially known as the Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle (OMFV).
Both companies currently hold prototyping contracts with the Army, with critical design reviews originally scheduled for late last year. However, the Army’s Program Executive Office Ground Combat Systems has opted to postpone these reviews and the pivotal Milestone B decision—associated with the Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) phase—rescheduled from January to March, and now set for the end of June.
Comprehensive Design Review for Better Results
A spokesperson for the Program Executive Office explained that this new timeline will enable the competing contractors to conduct more thorough critical design reviews prior to the milestone decision. “The program continues to meet key events to deliver on schedule,” they emphasized, suggesting confidence in the progress being made.
The Army’s strategy involves using insights from the design reviews to refine the competing designs if necessary. During the Milestone B phase, both teams are expected to produce seven identical prototypes for testing, with plans to announce a single winner by 2027. Soldiers could then begin receiving the new combat vehicles around 2029.
A History of Challenges in Vehicle Development
This fourth attempt to develop a Bradley successor comes with its own set of challenges, as the program has experienced setbacks in the past. Prior efforts under the Future Combat Systems and Ground Combat Vehicle initiatives failed to yield a suitable candidate that met the Army’s requirements or timeline. The initial OMFV competition was scrapped in January 2020 due to similar concerns.
Nonetheless, the Army swiftly reinitiated the OMFV competition later that year with a more adaptable approach, focusing on design characteristics and allowing for a more extended schedule. This flexible framework aims to improve the likelihood of finding a viable solution that meets both operational needs and budget considerations.
As the Army moves forward with the XM30 program, all eyes will be on the upcoming critical design reviews and the implications they may have on the future of ground combat systems.
