General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) announced on 23 January that it had completed testing of its Advanced Reconnaissance Vehicle (ARV) designed for the US Marines Corps’ future Mobile Reconnaissance Battalion.
The ARV capability developed by GDLS is intended to act as the Marine Corps’ “quarterback” on operations, particularly in mobile and multi-domain situations. The system is designed to connect with various onboard and off-board sensors, as well as unmanned aerial systems (UAS).
GDLS has stated that in the future the ARV will also be able to connect with ground and water robotic systems. Its design allows for growth margins and modular open architecture, which means new technology can be easily incorporated as it is developed. Additionally, their Next Generation Electronic Architecture has been included to enable artificial intelligence functionality and control of robotic systems.
The tests and demonstrations in 2023 were directed by the US Marine Corps and included: Command, Control, Communications and Computer/Uncrewed Aerial Systems (C4/UAS); land and water mobility; and blast and kinetic tests, as well as cyber and electromagnetic interference (EMI) assessments. Test locations from January to November 2023 included the Nevada Automotive Test Center (NATC), U.S. Army Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland, and Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California.
During testing, a critical aspect that was closely monitored was the ability to move through the ocean and transition through the surf zone in coastal beach areas. GDLS has incorporated advanced swim propulsion, vectored thrust, and water safety systems to facilitate safe and efficient swim operations in Marine Corps operational areas worldwide.
“The testing and demonstration activities last year helped us collect the data to ensure we can meet and exceed the Marine Corps’ requirements for ARV,” said Richard Trotter, ARV Program Director at GDLS. “We are confident we can achieve key performance requirements and competitively position ourselves for the next phase of the program.”
“Highly mobile on land and in the water, the ARV allows Marines to sense and communicate like never before,” Trotter added. “These tests were some of the most extensive to date for us to trial our strategic innovation technologies across the General Dynamics Land Systems portfolio. We pride ourselves on delivering capabilities for today and are thoughtful, deliberate and innovative about realizing the future vision of the Marine Corps. We look forward to continuing our decadeslong partnership with the Marines and contributing to their efforts to ensure that ARV is a transformational reconnaissance capability.”
