The US Army is replacing the M2 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle with the “digital” XM30 mechanized infantry combat vehicle.
Previously known as the optionally manned combat vehicle, the XM30 has recently followed the Army’s ground combat vehicle program. Before that, it was part of the Future Combat System program, but in reality, it’s the Army’s sixth attempt to replace the Bradley, said Colonel Jeffrey Jurand, XM30 project leader, on October 9, 2024, at the Ground Vehicle Systems Engineering and Technology Symposium hosted by the National Defense Industrial Association.
Since 1981, the M2 Bradley has served as a combat vehicle, transporting infantry to the battlefield and providing support for dismounted troops. Over 40 years later, the aging vehicle can no longer meet the demands of modern warfare, but its replacement has been as challenging as its original development.
Jurand stated in an interview that programs will struggle if requirements, funding, technology, and schedule aren’t in line.
He stated that the XM30 program aligns in all four areas and connects them through a single digital thread.
With a hybrid-electric engine, a 50-mm cannon, anti-tank guided missiles, machine guns, and an air defense system, the vehicle will operate with a two-person crew, a departure from Bradley’s three-person requirement. But its slogan, “Born Digital,” captures the biggest difference from its outdated predecessor.
Jurand stated that this platform is not merely an evolutionary replacement for the Bradley; it is a transformational platform and program that will revolutionize how the Army constructs and delivers systems.
For example, digital engineering has allowed the program to make requirements more achievable, which Jurand said has been the focus from the start.
He stated that the Army invested $300 million in the XM30 program to steer clear of previous mistakes, enlisting five contractors to collaborate on digital designs. The Army gave each contractor about $60 million and a 15–18 month design phase to deliver vehicle concepts that met its requirements.
Jurand explained that the five contractors refined the requirements over three or four iterations in the digital model space.
Mike Milner, vice president of business development and strategy for American Rheinmetall Vehicles—one of the two suppliers selected for prototype contracts in June 2023—said the Army has done “incredible work” with the program, and its openness to industry “will be a decisive factor in making the program successful.”
The Army is “very responsive” to supplier feedback. If the Army can provide suppliers with the necessary facts to explain why something isn’t working, they adjust the requirements accordingly, Milner added.
Yong Bang, the principal deputy assistant secretary of the Army for acquisition, logistics, and technology, agreed that improving communication with industry would be crucial to the program’s success.
Bang explained that the Department of Defense, in general, and the Army specifically, used to issue a Request for Information (RFI) that was essentially a draft performance report. Industry would ask specific questions before proceeding directly to a Request for Proposal (RFP).
Collaborating in the digital realm has been both a strength and a challenge for the program. James Mason, an engineer for the XM30 prototype development team, called this digital environment a “brave new world” with foreign systems to explore and a workforce that needs training.
XM30 is one of six “pathfinder” programs in the Army’s newly released strategy, designed to demonstrate the benefits of digital engineering. Other programs include the Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft and the M113 Armored Personnel Carrier.
Jurand said the program has adopted the term “digital trinity,” referring to its use of model-based systems engineering, digital engineering, and DevSecOps (development, security, and operations).
The government assigned both contractors the task of developing software within the DevSecOps environment, a framework that integrates security into every stage of the software development lifecycle.
Model-based systems engineering is a digital engineering method that uses visual models to represent system requirements, design, and architecture throughout its development lifecycle.
Frank Wojcik, the lead engineer for the XM30 prototype development, stated that model-based systems engineering allowed the program to combine what was previously PowerPoint presentations, spreadsheets, and PDFs into an online model with one major advantage: traceability.
Model-based systems engineering facilitates these connections within the model, allowing others to review it at a later time and rapidly comprehend the program’s current status and future trajectory, he stated.
Mason added that “traceability is where the true power of this approach shines,” eliminating the need to spend hours combing through documents and slides to find the weak point in a failed test.
As Jurand explained, the model-based approach also allows for the inclusion of supplementary context in behavioral diagrams, which will be essential for software development. The model-based approach and the results from both contractors every three weeks have enabled the Army to identify errors before the issuance of procurement orders.
He noted that by combining a model-based approach with the ability to shift toward more open architectures, project teams can obtain the insights required to integrate software into the platform in ways they have never been able to do before.
The digital environment “adds a lot” in terms of sustainment, according to Jennifer Swanson, the Army’s deputy assistant secretary for data, design, and software. Every program faces the challenge of obsolescence. Digital engineering has the potential to significantly assist us in moving ahead of that. She stated that additive manufacturing necessitates acceleration, and the digital engineering environment will facilitate this. Furthermore, the digital engineering environment will significantly enhance the success factor.
The program’s digital foundations have also instilled confidence in a previously challenging area: funding. Jurand said he’s “very pleased with where we are.”
According to him, senior Army leaders comprehend its significance not only for its replacement of the Bradley but also for the open architecture it provides, which will result in future cost savings. Additionally, they acknowledge that “we” are part of the digital pioneer initiative, aiding the Army in its transition to these digital technologies. Leaders recognize the program’s value and have allocated the necessary resources to ensure its successful completion.
According to Jurand, he is “very encouraged at this stage.” However, the program must continue to meet its objectives and fulfill its commitments to preserve the backing of Congress and senior leadership.
The next stage will be the critical design review, with the program currently in the third of five phases. The remaining two contractors—American Rheinmetall Vehicles and General Dynamics Land Systems—have recently completed preliminary design reviews, with both aiming to present their critical design reviews by the end of 2024.
According to Jurand, the Army will carry out critical design reviews in the first half of fiscal year 2025, during which they will establish the product baseline. All drawings are finalized, and we’re almost ready to start building prototypes,” which “completes the main design activities of the program.”
He said that after the critical design reviews, there will be an 18-month period during which the contractors will build prototypes, with deliveries expected “starting in the fourth quarter of 2026” for testing and evaluation.
As for when a single supplier will be chosen, Jurand said the current plan is to issue the final request for proposals for production contracts to the two contractors after testing begins, “and that contract will contain the selection criteria for how we’ll determine the winner,” with a decision expected “around the first quarter of fiscal year 2028.”
“XM30 is transformational in many ways,” Jurand said. “We’re looking forward to seeing it.”