From crowd control to ‘wireless energy beaming,' the Army’s new vehicles must have more power but use less fuel

As Army leadership looks to transform ground operations and logistics experts shave supply requirements such as fuel, work being done to generate more electric power with less fuel is at the heart of the land fight in the next wave of warfare.

The two paths converge at work being done to “electrify” the future vehicle fleet at the Army’s center for vehicle research – the Tank Automotive Research Development and Engineering Center. A November forum at TARDEC focused on advances in vehicle electrical power as service leaders, industry experts and researchers pursue ways to give more soldiers more power to run complex systems of the future.

The first such forum took place in June and laid out an overview of what will need to happen to reach Army goals. Over the next year, participants will refine their plans to build a complex fleet of vehicles capable of a host of tasks not yet fielded.

Vehicles have come a long way from moving forward and backward and carrying troops and ammo.