Unmanned battlefield convoys to get prototypes, testing
NewsJuly 30, 2018
DALLAS. Lockheed Martin has won a contract with the U.S. Army's Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC) to act as the Integrated Systems Developer for its Expedient Leader Follower (ExLF) program.
Under the terms of the contract, Lockheed Martin will lead a three-year effort to develop, integrate, and test unmanned prototype systems for supporting leader/follower convoy activities within an asymmetric threat environment. Soldiers testing the systems will conduct operational technology demonstrations using the prototypes developed in the ExLF program to establish operating procedures and shape future programs.
The ExLF program is of interest to the military, say officials at Lockheed Martin, because soldiers must conduct resupply convoys within an asymmetric threat environment with the difficulty compounded by long sustainment missions, adverse weather or environment, and night operations, all of which can adversely affect operator safety, degrade driver/operator situational awareness, or reduce resupply efficiency.
Earlier in the summer of 2018, Oshkosh Defense had won a $49 million TARDEC contract to integrate existing palletized load system (PLS) vehicles with scalable autonomous technology as part of the ExLF program.
