Video Above: Army: New Bradley Weapons & Sensors to Shape Next-Gen Combat Vehicle – 2030
By Kris Osborn – President & Editor-In-Chief, Warrior Maven
While primarily known for medium tactical vehicles such as the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle and blast-deflecting MRAP-All Terrain Vehicle, Oshkosh Defense is now powered up with a special team geared toward heavy combat.
Oshkosh: Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle
Oshkosh is one of five major contractors now under Army contract to build the new Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle, a future infantry carrier to replace the Bradley and propel mechanized armor combat into a new era of lethality and major power competition.
Oshkosh certainly has history with integrated weapons, add-on armor kits and advanced vehicle technologies such as fuel-efficient engines, next generation sensors, weapons interfaces and advanced on-board computing.
As far back as 15-years ago, Oshkosh was working on innovations intended to add “bolt-on” armor kits to the cab sections of its Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck to build in options for commanders depending upon the threat conditions of a particular mission.
Part of Oshkosh’s OMFV strategy has been to assemble a team of vendors with specific expertise in certain areas such as Pratt & Miller, Rafael and QinetiQ, among others. The Oshkosh OMFV offering also includes the use of the Northrop Grumman Bushmaster XM813 30mm cannon.
“We augment through partnership,” Pat Williams, Vice President & General Manager, Army & Marine Corps programs, Oshkosh Defense, told The National Interest in an interview.
Williams said Oskhosh developers worked with team members to engineer the cannon and fire control system with an integrated ammunition handling system with its own motor, closed link configuration
“Ammunition and weapons system handling can have separate motors. Now you don’t have to worry about synchronizing the motors because the cannon motor is synchronized,” William explained.
The base of the turret, Williams explained, is a remote weapons station enabling soldiers to identify targets and attack from beneath the protection of armor. Other Oshkosh OMFV innovations, which developers emphasize are subject to Army direction as requirements evolve, include redundant built-in sensors within both visual and thermal spectrums. The fire control system is built with a “lock-in” on target capacity and enabled by 360 degree secondary weapons sights to expand targeting purview.
Many of the details of Oshkosh’s OMFV offering are proprietary, competition sensitive or unavailable for security reasons, yet the company is focused on wanting to succeed in implementing the Army’s vision for the platform. This includes the clear recognition that, particularly during the current digital design phase, requirements, weapons specs and specific performance parameters are all likely to fluctuate as the vehicle moves into its next phases of development.
Kris Osborn is the President of Warrior Maven and The Defense Editor of The National Interest ––
Kris Osborn is the defense editor for the National Interest. Osborn previously served at the Pentagon as a Highly Qualified Expert with the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army—Acquisition, Logistics & Technology. Osborn has also worked as an anchor and on-air military specialist at national TV networks. He has appeared as a guest military expert on Fox
