In short, FCS is an interoperable family of cutting-edge ground vehicles, UAVs, ground robots, indirect fire weapons and sensors. Each component is interconnected through the FCS communications and data network, allowing for unparalleled information sharing. FCS will provide our soldiers the means to execute both counterinsurgency operations, now the most critical piece of the missions in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the conventional warfare for which Bradleys, Abrams tanks and other legacy systems were designed. Whether battling uniformed military forces or insurgents who conceal themselves within a civilian population, FCS will enable our soldiers to see the enemy first, understand the situation, then act decisively.
But that’s only part of the story. FCS, at its core, is about soldiers; it’s about empowering them to make decisions that are quicker, better-informed and more sound. With individual soldiers functioning as intelligence assets, FCS will allow 360-degree information flow — streaming up to unit commanders, down to individual soldiers, and out to adjacent units — enabling better integration of actions against a foe.
We will digitally link our soldiers at every level, thanks to the FCS network and the new Ground Soldier System, which is separate but fully complementary to FCS. Soldier-worn and integrated into the body armor, the lightweight system consists of a compact computer, GPS unit, helmet-mounted display and communications system. It will allow us to maximize soldiers’ situational awareness.
Unfortunately for soldiers, the FCS program has had an uphill climb since conception. With a large price tag, it has been repeatedly targeted for funding cuts in Congress. FCS is highly complex — with 14 different platforms, more than 300 different technologies, and more than 600 contracts in place — which has made it difficult to tell the story of its potential.
The name itself has contributed to broad misperception, arguably sounding more like something intended to fight space-age enemies on distant battlefields than what it actually is: a family of game-changing weapon systems ideally suited to fight enemies on the streets of Iraqi cities, the unforgiving terrain of Afghanistan, and conventional battlefields. As such, it is past time for the Army to change the name.
FCS nonbelievers, some of whom argue that FCS will be of limited value in modern-day counterinsurgency operations, should take note that FCS addresses more than 80 percent of all “operational needs statements” (requests for new equipment and situational awareness capabilities) generated in the past two years by our soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Moreover, early versions of FCS equipment are helping soldiers take the fight to the enemy and save American lives today. Our Explosive Ordnance Disposal teams are using small FCS-derived robots called “Packbots” to clear improvised explosive devices from the roads our troops travel. Packbots are also being utilized to clear buildings, caves and bunkers. In addition, for the past year, U.S. troops in Iraq have been flying more than 20 FCS-derived, back-packable UAVs, called “Micro Air Vehicles,” to spot IEDs before they kill or injure anyone. Even the latest enhanced armor kits for HMMWVs are based on FCS technology.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates has said that our military should be “moving aggressively in wartime to provide resources needed now on the battlefield,” and the Army’s two-phased fielding strategy for FCS follows this guidance. Because infantry Brigade Combat Teams have been in the highest demand during post-9/11 combat operations, the Army will “spin out” essential FCS equipment to these units first.
New FCS equipment arrives on a regular basis at Fort Bliss, Texas, where the Army Evaluation Task Force is based. The AETF, whose ranks are filled by combat-seasoned soldiers, provides immediate feedback on the equipment before it is fielded to troops, representing a huge leap forward in the way the Army acquires weapon systems.
Our current inventory of Army weapon systems is aging rapidly and may not last as long as intended. That makes it even more crucial that the Army’s next weapon systems be fielded now, with the capability to defeat the threats of both today and tomorrow. With FCS, we have that technology in hand, and we have a golden opportunity.
John Cornyn, a Texas Republican, serves on the Senate Armed Services Committee, where he is the ranking Republican on the airland subcommittee, which is responsible
for oversight of Army weapons programs and funding levels.
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