The U.S. Army is accelerating the delivery of several Future Combat Systems (FCS) capabilities to its infantry brigade combat teams (IBCTs). These technologies, some of which already are in use in Afghanistan and Iraq, range from sensors to unmanned air and ground vehicles.rnThe FCS spinouts include tactical and urban unattended ground sensors, the non-line-of-sight launch system and network kits for high-mobility, multipurpose wheeled vehicles. Some IBCTs also are receiving the Class I Block 0 unmanned air vehicle (UAV) and the small unmanned ground vehicle (SUGV). The Class I Block 0 UAV also is known as the micro air vehicle. Forces in Southwest Asia have been using an early version of the SUGV to search caves, buildings and bunkers for enemy forces and improvised explosive devices, which it also has helped defuse.rnPrevious Army Evaluation Task Force tests at Fort Bliss, Texas, have served as the impetus to deploy these FCS technologies in the field early. The technologies now are undergoing infantry brigade preliminary limited user tests at Fort Bliss.
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