FCS/BCT unmanned aerial vehicles

Lore & Background

The FCS/BCT unmanned aerial vehicles included several designs: the XM156 Class I, Class II, Class III, and XM157 Class IV. The XM156 Class I was a platoon-level micro air vehicle with vertical take-off and landing capability, designed to be carried by an individual soldier. It provided reconnaissance, surveillance, and target acquisition (RSTA) and laser designation, operating in open, rolling, complex, and urban terrains. The Class II UAV was a vehicle-mounted system with vertical take-off and landing, intended to support company commanders with reconnaissance and target designation, including the ability to direct line-of-sight, beyond-line-of-sight, and non-line-of-sight fires. The Class III UAV was a fixed-wing system providing battalion-level RSTA, communications relay, mine detection, chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) detection, and meteorological survey. The XM157 Class IV UAV, derived from the Navy-Marine MQ-8 Fire Scout, was intended for brigade-level reconnaissance and aerial communications extension, with missions including land mine and improvised explosive device detection, standoff chemical, biological, and radiological detection, and electronic intelligence collection.

Reader's Guide

The FCS/BCT unmanned aerial vehicles represented a comprehensive attempt to integrate unmanned systems across all echelons of the Brigade Combat Team, from individual soldier to brigade level. The XM156 Class I was notable for its hover-and-stare capability, which was not available in the Army UAV inventory at the time, and was intended to fill gaps in force operations such as force protection in counterinsurgency operations and joint urban operations. The Class II and Class III UAVs were canceled in May 2007, and the XM157 was canceled when Future Combat Systems was dissolved in June 2009. The final aircraft, the XM156, was canceled in February 2010 when the E-IBCT component of the BCT Modernization program was dissolved. The Army believed that the fixed-wing RQ-7 Shadow could meet future requirements with product improvements. The program's cancellation left the envisioned layered UAV capability unfulfilled, though the technologies and concepts developed influenced subsequent Army unmanned systems efforts.

Did You Know?

• The XM156 Class I total system weight was less than 51 lb and could be carried by an individual soldier.
• The Class II UAV had a 16 km radius of action and could remain aloft for two hours.
• The Class III UAV had a six-hour endurance and a 40 km radius of action.
• The XM157 Class IV UAV was derived from the Navy-Marine MQ-8 Fire Scout.