Return to Article: Strange But True
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Story: Strange But True After reading your text, found the title to be off track since several of your statements related to the Future Combat Systems (FCS) are not true. First, there is no requirement for the FCS man-packed robot to have a fire extinguisher regardless of what someone from iRobot may have told GAO. The FCS Operational Requirement Document (ORD) contains no such reference.
Current efforts strive to reduce the weight of the small robot to ensure that it is manageable for a Soldier to carry in his rucksack. However, the challenge of the equipment's weight does not stem from unnecessary luxuries or excessive safety requirements, but rather from the demands of combat.
The capabilities necessary to effectively operate in urban terrain drive size, weight and power. All done to make the Soldier more effective in combat. A balance must be struck between the size of the Soldier's load and the gear which empowers the Soldier. The goal is to get the weight down where it is manageable for the Soldier to 'hump it in a rucksack' if necessary. Great pains are made to strike the right balance.
The individual Soldier remains the centerpiece of the Army. We carefully consider each piece of gear that is added to the load on our Soldier's shoulders. The Army works to ensure that each Soldier is prepared as possible to achieve success on the battlefield and return home upon accomplishing the mission. I ask that you report that work accurately and check facts with the people doing the work from all sides.
Finally, your comment on the price of the program at $230 billion is debatable. Many reporters and analysts have confused costs because they have combined constant-dollar estimates with inflation-adjusted estimates or add items from outside FCS programs. When you list the costs to the FCS program, you need to specify what you are counting and over what time horizon. This program runs over two decades and is not $230 B at one time.
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