Dropping ultralight vehicles from the air

Dropping ultralight vehicles from the air

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This is a new one for the battle-fields of the future. The US Army’s 82nd Airborne Division is evaluating an ultra-lightweight combat vehicle (ULCV) in order to drop on the ground along with airborne assault troops, parachuters. This will allow for a battle plan where the soldiers are parachuted far from the mission objective, presumably protected by air defense, then speed over land to their objective using the ultralight vehicles.

Defense News quotes a Capt. Marshall Brink, who says the great benefit here, is that paratroopers would be able to quickly mass combat power. “If we have the ability to drop more lightweight vehicles, which allow our assaulting force to rapidly reach the objective and establish a foothold, it will improve our chances of success tremendously.” He gave as an example the scenario of defending an air strip. “A force that may be defending the [landing strip] gets more time to prepare for the siege of the airfield.”

The 82nd’s plan calls for it to buy commercial off-the-shelf vehicles in the short term, and establish a formal acquisition program in the long term. Army officials said they will be choosing from readily available vehicles. The army has already purchased 33 commercial vehicles for testing and whether it buys more vehicles, depends on tests conducted by the 82nd.

Heidi Shyu, the Army’s chief weapons buyer, said on Wednesday that the effort was in “early discussions” and that an acquisition strategy and detailed analysis had yet to arrive at her desk. “Right now,” she said, “the early entry guys are walking, so they would like that mobility.”