Lawmakers with the United States House Armed Services Tactical Air and Land Subcommittee have recently argued that they want the US Army to initiate and operate a new pilot program which will determine the potential benefit of electrical tactical vehicles in the theatre of war.
Earlier this year, the US Army released its updated climate strategy, which laid out a guideline to introduce hybrid/electric tactical vehicles by 2035; and also all-electric vehicles within the next 15 years (by 2050). Of course, a promise like this is easier said than done as the cornerstone of this project will be determining the logistics of both recharging and maintaining such machines while in operation on the battlefield.
In addition to this, the US Army also approved a measure to introduce electric tactical and combat vehicle capabilities—also known as TaCV-E—back in December 2021. According to the subcommittee’s fiscal 2023 schedule, this initiative “informs the transition to advancing electrification capabilities and operational requirements generation for the ground vehicles fleet.”
The report goes on to say that members of this subcommittee are deeply interested to learn if electrification for tactical ground vehicles, in the near term, is an achievable goal in the presence of measurable benefits while reducing thermal and noise signatures, improved acceleration, and lower liquid fuel prerequisites.
Essentially, then, prototyping and experimenting with this relatively new TaCV-E could help the military improve their understanding of the operational needs for a fleet of such vehicles. Also, it would serve to inform future planning and identify any potential issues.
In all, the subcommittee advised there is, indeed, “considerable and apparent” value for the developing service to initiate Cooperative Research and Development Agreements—or CRADA—with the appropriate industry partners.
