In development for roughly eight years, the 50mm cannon represents a new technical effort to engineer what might be called a “middle ground” kind of attack cannon; it must not only bring more firepower, range, precision and lethality to armored combat , but also integrate into GD’s expeditionary future armored vehicle. In effect, the new vehicle and cannon represent a new sphere of attack options, presenting new attack options positioned between a 30mm chain gun such as that fired by the Stryker -- and a heavier 120mm cannon fired by an Abrams tank.

The 50mm gun and turret can, according to developers, elevate to hit air-targets such as enemy drones or even helicopters in an effort to align with Army requirements.

The new OMFV seeks, among other things, to optimize the synergy of speed, deployability, fire-power an armor protection into a single vehicle. While a tall order, such a synthesis is indispensable to the Army strategy; industry and the Army see advanced long-range sensors, vastly improved speed and attack technology will themselves massively increase survivability. For instance, should AI-enabled data processing enable crews to organize and connect otherwise disparate sensors, threats, navigational details, sensor input can all by received much faster and more efficiently.

Naturally, lightweight composite armor is a very large part of this. Other than broadly saying those materials are included in their offerings, industry developers are of course reluctant to specify materials particular to their offerings for security reasons. Congress, however, has specifically tasked the Army to research and test several new promising lightweight armor technologies -- mesophase pitch carbon fiber and graphitic carbon foam vehicle components. The House Armed Services Committee has asked Army acquisition to deliver a report on development and testing by November of 2019.

The ability to enable lighter-weight armored vehicles to address terrain challenges, and off-road mobility aligns with findings from analytical historical research performed years ago by the Dupuy Institute.

The research study, called “The Historical Combat Effectiveness of Lighter-Weight Armored Forces,” examined combat scenarios from Vietnam, The Korean War, the Persian Gulf War - and even WWII.

Commissioned by the US Army Center for Army Analysis, the study concluded that heavily armed, yet lighter-weight, more maneuverable armored combat platforms could provide a substantial advantage to combat infantry in many scenarios.

“Vehicle weight is sometimes a limiting factor in less developed areas,” the study writes.

Weight, speed and mobility characteristics are deemed essential for a tank’s ability to support infantry units, mechanized armored units and dismounted soldiers by virtue of being able to cross bridges, rigorous terrain and other combat areas less accessible to existing 70-ton Abrams tanks.

Osborn previously served at the Pentagon as a Highly Qualified Expert with the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army - Acquisition, Logistics & Technology. Osborn has also worked as an anchor and on-air military specialist at national TV networks. He has appeared as a guest military expert on Fox News, MSNBC, The Military Channel and The History Channel. He also has a Masters Degree in Comparative Literature from Columbia University.