This makes sense:
Army modernization leaders faced tough questions Thursday from lawmakers who worry that the decision to restart the Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle (OMFV) effort has destroyed the trust of defense firms that have already invested millions in the Bradley fighting vehicle replacement.
Army officials announced in late January that the service would restart the high-priority OMFV effort after receiving only one valid bid for the $45 billion program.
In Infantry magazine I proposed an infantry fighting vehicle that allows the IFV to operate with remote weapons stations operated through reachback capabilities by the infantry squad deployed to the rear during mounted operations.
The idea was to preserve the infantry when they are just cargo against catastrophic hits on the IFV. With RMS machine guns the IFV could support the moving tanks with mounted firepower. Only when dismounted combat is foreseen would the infantry travel in the IFV.
And then other soldiers could operate the IFV-mounted RMS to support the dismounts.
This manned/unmanned hybrid would not only be a glide path to a fully unmanned IFV but would be a one-vehicle test of a manned vehicle commanding armed UGVs away from the vehicle.
I incorporated the Guinta Cavalry Vehicle (scout version of an IFV) with this concept as well as the Legion main battle tandems for the manned/unmanned teams in this failed entry into an Army future warfare writing contest.
