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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

#R-03-031 May 19, 2003

ARMY'S FUTURE COMBAT SYSTEMS PASSES MAJOR MILESTONE

The Department of Defense approved The Army's key transformation program yesterday, signing a memorandum that would move the Future Combat Systems (FCS) program into the $14.92 billion System Development and Demonstration (SDD) phase of the effort.

During this phase, The Army and its Lead Systems Integrator team (Boeing and Science Applications International Corporation) will begin the design and development of FCS, a joint, networked 'system of systems' that is comprised of 18 manned and unmanned ground and aerial vehicles and sensors connected via an advanced communications network. A soldier, linked to these platforms and sensors, will have unprecedented situational awareness.

"The Army equipped with the FCS will provide Combatant Commanders with an unprecedented warfighting capability," said Army Chief of Staff, Gen. Eric Shinseki. "The Defense Acquisition Board decision is a referendum on the system of systems concept, and it will have a tremendously positive impact on Transformation across the military, not just on Army systems."

FCS will, over time, replace the current fleet of 'heavy' vehicles - the Abrams tanks and Bradley Fighting Vehicles with a new family of manned and unmanned ground vehicles and aerial vehicles. The new manned ground vehicles will be both lighter and smaller than the current fleet. These lighter, smaller vehicles are designed to fit into a C-130-like plane, which allows them to be flown to a conflict anywhere in the world in 96 hours, rolled off and ready to fight.

Part of what makes FCS transformational is its adherence to the new DOD acquisition model of spiral development, which allows developers to insert emerging technology as the systems mature over time. Also, the ability to interface with other military services, governmental agencies and multi-national partners has been built into the FCS network from the ground up, making the system more relevant to regional combatant commanders.

END