RST-V Program Completes 1,000 Mile Demonstration

Released on Friday, January 24, 2003

The Office of Naval Research, DARPA, and General Dynamics Land Systems announced that during December 2002 the RST-V program completed 1000 mile demonstration of extended range operations.

1000 mile demonstration was carried out along 3 days. The RST-V, Reconnaissance, Surveillance and Targeting Vehicle, program is sponsored jointly by DARPA and the USMC/Office of Naval Research.

The vehicle involved in this testing is one of 4 being developed by General Dynamics Land Systems.

The south to north route followed highways from Fort Benning, Georgia, to General Dynamics facility in Muskegon, Michigan. The vehicle successfully traversed typical highway conditions like sustained highway speed, snow, rain and rough construction zones. Data collected during the drive will be applied to the vehicle's final configuration.

Several of the RST-V vehicles are currently being outfitted and tested under off-road conditions in preparation for mission profile testing by March 2003. At the end of technology demonstration program in 2003, the system will be ready to enter SDD phase depending on service interest.

The RST-V is a 4x4 hybrid electric drive vehicle which can be equipped in a range of mission variants including a forward observer, reconnaissance, light strike vehicle, ambulance, air defense, logistics vehicle, personal carrier, anti-armor, mortar weapon carrier, command post variant and mobile 60 KW generator. The vehicle can be transported in roll-on/roll-off mode in a CH-53, CH-47, V-22 and C-130.

The hybrid electric drive allows operations at double the range or twice the time on station compared to other current systems. This vehicle has a maximum road speed of 70 miles per hour and can operate in silent mode using its batteries along 20 miles. The RST-V is carrying advanced technologies related to the US Army FCS program and USMC MEFFV.