<title>Robotic follower: near-term autonomy for future combat systems</title>

Abstract

Robotics is one of the fundamental enabling technologies required to meet the U. S. Army's vision to be a strategically responsive force capable of domination across the entire spectrum of conflict. The Future Combat Systems (FCS) program is poised to be the first component of this force to utilize robotic or unmanned systems. The U. S. Army Tank Automotive Research, Development & Engineering Center (TARDEC), in partnership with the U. S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL) has initiated an effort to develop a near-term robotics capability for FCS entitled the Robotic Follower Advanced Technology Demonstration program.