DARPA's Bold Vision For Future Military Tanks
- 10 years ago
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) wants to create tanks that will weigh less, move faster and require less crew to operate.
Tanks are large, slow moving and their design hasn't changed very much in the last 100 years.
Throughout this time, one thing has always remained true- more armor means more protection.
But the armor used to protect tanks hasn't advanced as quickly as the weapons used to penetrate them.
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency or DARPA, is looking to change that.
The Ground X-Vehicle technology program was created to improve the technology and mobility of mechanized warfare.
Specifically by cutting the weight and size of tanks in half, while doubling their speed.
DARPA expects new tanks to be more mobile, and able to traverse a wider variety of terrain while remaining undetected.
They also plan to reduce the number of crew necessary to operate the vehicle.
All of this will happen without the inclusion of more armor, which will allow tanks to move faster.
DARPA program manager Kevin Massey said the "goal is not just to improve or replace one particular vehicle-it’s about breaking the ‘more armor’ paradigm and revolutionizing protection for all armored fighting vehicles.”
Contracts will be awarded to various researchers and companies by DARPA to work on these new technologies.
Tanks are large, slow moving and their design hasn't changed very much in the last 100 years.
Throughout this time, one thing has always remained true- more armor means more protection.
But the armor used to protect tanks hasn't advanced as quickly as the weapons used to penetrate them.
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency or DARPA, is looking to change that.
The Ground X-Vehicle technology program was created to improve the technology and mobility of mechanized warfare.
Specifically by cutting the weight and size of tanks in half, while doubling their speed.
DARPA expects new tanks to be more mobile, and able to traverse a wider variety of terrain while remaining undetected.
They also plan to reduce the number of crew necessary to operate the vehicle.
All of this will happen without the inclusion of more armor, which will allow tanks to move faster.
DARPA program manager Kevin Massey said the "goal is not just to improve or replace one particular vehicle-it’s about breaking the ‘more armor’ paradigm and revolutionizing protection for all armored fighting vehicles.”
Contracts will be awarded to various researchers and companies by DARPA to work on these new technologies.