DARPA's Ground X-Vehicle Technology Program (GXV-T)

Greetings ATS. TheBadCabbie here. I found this Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) project while I was looking around on the www. Vehicle design has always been a big hobby of mine so I found some of the articles and videos on this subject to be fascinating. I thought some of you might too, and I thought it could make for some interesting discussion.

With this project, Darpa is exploring the concept of ground transport in search of new and innovative approaches to the idea in the hopes of creating disruptive battlefield technology to apply in our present and future battlefield equipment programs. Contracts were awarded just a few days ago to a number of companies.

A few quotes and links to get us started here. From Darpa's website:

Today’s ground-based armored fighting vehicles are better protected than ever, but face a constantly evolving threat: weapons increasingly effective at piercing armor. While adding more armor has provided incremental increases in protection, it has also hobbled vehicle speed and mobility and ballooned development and deployment costs. To help reverse this trend, DARPA’s Ground X-Vehicle Technology (GXV-T) program recently awarded contracts to eight organizations.

“We’re exploring a variety of potentially groundbreaking technologies, all of which are designed to improve vehicle mobility, vehicle survivability and crew safety and performance without piling on armor,” said Maj. Christopher Orlowski, DARPA program manager. “DARPA’s performers for GXV-T are helping defy the ‘more armor equals better protection’ axiom that has constrained armored ground vehicle design for the past 100 years, and are paving the way toward innovative, disruptive vehicles for the 21st Century and beyond.”

Advisory: this link leads to a .mil government website:
www.darpa.mil...

Here's a Gizmag piece on it:
www.gizmag.com...

The idea is that the completed GXV-T vehicle will replace tons of armor with the ability to move over 92 percent of available terrain, from flat plains to steep slopes, by means of a new wheel/track system. Additional "capabilities of interest" include the ability to reposition armor and the agility to avoid threats without harming its occupants.

The contract will also cover making the GVX-T smarter with improved sensors for better situational awareness and threat detection, as well as providing a full-circle view from a control cabin similar to that of an airplane cockpit. It will also provide semi-autonomous driver assistance and the augmentation of key functions. While the vehicle will see better, it will also be harder to see thanks to infrared, acoustic, and electromagnetic stealth capabilities.

92 percent of available terrain. I want one.

There are a few concept videos out. I liked this one best so far:

www.youtube.com...

Pretty nifty aims with this project. I'm curious to see what may come out of it as it pertains to vehicle design, though I think the other little gizmos and doodads that are being explored with this project are just swell too. Interesting stuff. What do you think?

Halo already did it?
Thats an M12 Warthog.

Sorry had two posts open and replied on the wrong one, S+F anyway.

a reply to: TheBadCabbie

Those things might climb every mountain and ford every stream...that's about it!







Might be useful for running people over though.

I dont really care for the platform in the concept video. It looks more like a light fighting or recon vehicle. if they are going to replace tanks, then they should be looking to crossbreed a Humvee with a Bradley IFV format. That would make more sense. I believe in the importance and endurance of tracked vehicles. So unless we are moving to anime and video game mech type machines, I believe they should remember to incorporate tracked vehicles.

these wheel design appear to be for a specific terrain type...

its obvious what the 'type' of enemies they're designed for; not the 'uniformed' type. i guarantee that.

a reply to: AmericanRealist

Cross between a Bradley and a hummer, that's the L-ATV. I just made a thread on that one too.
www.abovetopsecret.com...
That's a heavy truck though. Three times the weight of a humvee. Humvees were already somewhat limited in terms of navigable terrain, the L-ATV looks like it will be worse as far as the "all terrain" part goes.

A lighter more agile vehicle will be able to go places the L-ATV can't. A GXV type vehicle wouldn't be constrained to roads and trails, or subject to weather the way a regular four wheeled vehicle would. Either way, we're gonna want some lighter vehicles than the L-ATV I reckon. L-ATV isn't particularly fast either.

L-ATV is not going to do this:

or this:

or this:

A vehicle that can do these things more quickly and quietly, in a combat ready package, could be a disruptive technology indeed. How about a vehicle that could hop or duck when you wanted it to, or as an automated defense mechanism? Dodge that RPG instead of suffering a direct impact?

You will need to add carbyne/graphene folded armor plate and scales.

I found these experimental and unususal off road vehicle videos on the youtube and I thought they would look nice in here.
The Aton Impulse is a civilian made Russian vehicle. It is the world's only production built amphibious vehicle!

www.youtube.com...

This next one is Russian military, I believe. I think it's called the SHERP.

www.youtube.com...

This third one looks like it's called the Swincar. Pretty nifty if you ask me.

www.youtube.com...

All of these vehicles can go places a regular four wheeled vehicle could not navigate.

a reply to: Jukiodone

Dune 2000 already did it as well

a reply to: TheBadCabbie

I don't know whether to be flattered or angry at DARPA over gvx-t. Some time back I authored a thread on ATS proposing something extremely similar... By extremely similar I mean my idea had the outrigger wheel sections, proposed many of the same things, and in general uncannily matches gvx-t. The part that is frustration inducing is that I came up with my idea well before DARPA launched it's GVZ project.

Here's another interesting machine with enhanced mobility: Chainlink.

www.youtube.com...
Pretty impressive, in my opinion. Totally want one. This vehicle can go places most four wheel drives could not.

originally posted by: TheBadCabbie

The Aton Impulse is a civilian made Russian vehicle. It is the world's only production built amphibious vehicle!

Not exactly true, let us not forget the Amphicar, built 4000 during 1961-1965
www.amphicar.com...

a quick google actually found quite a few
en.wikipedia.org...

Gibbs Aquada has a beast of an engine for a small amphicar 2.5l v6 built 2003-2004. It holds the record for fastest car across the English channel by Mr Virgin himself, Richard Branson
en.wikipedia.org...

Just looked on Gibbs site and they do the Gibbs Quadski now, check it out, its a beast
www.gibbssports.com...

And just found Watercar, retro looking jeep style amphicars
www.watercar.com...

a reply to: TigStar82

Nice. Thanks for the correction and addition.