Next-Gen Combat Vehicles May Have Lasers, Hybrid Power

The next generation of warfare may have lasers and hybrid power. Military experts in Washington announced in a meeting that next-generation combat vehicles may feature energy weapons and active protection systems.

In what appears to be just in the realm of science fiction, Col. William Nuckols said Washington is currently considering about four years of analysis before they "procure" such assets.

Nuckols, of the Association of the U.S. Army's Institute of Land Warfare, told this to listeners in a recent forum he chaired. He added the United States is expecting to get its first unit fully-equipped around 2035.

However, fielding the next-generation combat vehicle needs major decisions as early as 2025.

According to the U.S. Army website, the next-generation combat vehicle will probably have alternative or hybrid energy sources and feature directed-energy weapons. They may even have advanced composite armor and active protection systems.

John Gordon IV, a senior policy researcher for RAND Corp., said these directions are in response to current threats surrounding these current vehicles. Threats such as rocket-propelled grenades, armor-piercing munitions, and explosive devices can heavily damage these armored vehicles. The worse part is "non-state actors" and "state-level opponents" are equipped with this system.

According to a UPI article, additional threats from cyberwarfare and electronic warfare also expands the reach of defenses the next-generation vehicle must face. This includes nuclear weapons, as nations such as Russia are actively talking about their deployment.

John Paulson of the General Dynamics Land Systems added that renewable energy sources such as wind, geothermal energy and solar energy are not yet practical for combat vehicles. However, biomass and hydropower sources can be options.While there are current experiments to produce biofuel from biomass, hydrogen fuel cells are bulkier and are therefore too dense for the said vehicles.

Lastly, Bryan Cheeseman of the Army Research Laboratory said that while lasers are an emerging technology for weapons, its practical usage as a directed-energy source should be considered. He said they would be more efficient as vehicle protection.

He added the "future" of vehicles will include 360-degree protection, as threats from unmanned aircrafts above, conventional weapons on the side, and IEDs below are dangerous for combat.

Regardless, the question remains: what exactly should be next-generation combat vehicle be? Answers to the question remain hidden in the developments in the said fields in a few years.