[SLB]

Want to break the news?

Not really, but will give a few hints of things to come. Remember that Future Combat System (FCS) is a System of Systems or SoS for short. The key is being netted together so that situational awareness is first and foremost. As an example, a dimounted patrol is in an urban area and encounters a armored vehicle. They are equipped to send a digitized report which then assigns a priority to the enemy. The priority is then assigned to either an indiret or direct fire weapon to engage. This might be rockets in a box, the Air Force or Navy with a fast mover, or conventional tube artillery.

Someday I will post some of the releasable information to hopefully satisfy the curious.

As far as a new "tank" is concerned, not on the horizon. The Abrams will be with us for the next several decades. How long has the B-52 or the C-130 been in service?

[Jeff Head]

As far as a new "tank" is concerned, not on the horizon.

I pray we can make all of the electronics and wizardry work while the Abrams continues on. <p. ...and I pray they do not proceed with retiring the Abrams prematurely...we're going to need them.

[Tailback]

Remember that Future Combat System (FCS) is a System of Systems or SoS for short. The key is being netted together so that situational awareness is first and foremost.

FCS is supposed to take the electronic gizmos and lack of real world combat protection from the Stryker and put it on vehicles just as unprotected with slightly better firepower. The great thing about the computer gadgets is that unlike the Sherman tank in WWII, company commanders will know almost instantly when their unit's "armored" vehicles are destroyed.

[Lazamataz]

Not really, but will give a few hints of things to come. Remember that Future Combat System (FCS) is a System of Systems or SoS for short. The key is being netted together so that situational awareness is first and foremost. As an example, a dimounted patrol is in an urban area and encounters a armored vehicle. They are equipped to send a digitized report which then assigns a priority to the enemy. The priority is then assigned to either an indiret or direct fire weapon to engage. This might be rockets in a box, the Air Force or Navy with a fast mover, or conventional tube artillery.

I can easily surmise. The response will be made with pilotless air or land vehicles, employing hypervelocity ammunition (probably electromagnetically launched) or directed energy weapons.

The weapons systems will be very lightly armored because armor is a concept that is waning in significance as new generations of weapons are fielded.