Identified Needs
“Supporting mobility will be a priority task and the main aim of Engineer units. This means possessing the capability to clear routes, open breaches, make constructions quickly and on short notice, repair routes, and make quick improvements to infrastructure to guarantee the freedom of action for combat units.” – Brig. Gen. Miguel Garcia Garcia De Las Hijas, Instruction, Training and Evaluation Sub-Directorate Commander, Spanish Army
“We will prioritize the development of technologies that reduce the logistics footprint and increased efficiency, providing tailorable and scalable combat enablers, while increasing deployability, lethality, mobility and optimizing protection as part of our Joint Forces ” – Headquarters, Department of the (United States) Army, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, G-8 Future Force Division (FDF)
“… being able to make use of a force that is capable of intervening in the widest range of scenarios and with the necessary adapability to deal with all likely possible threats – while flexible enough to allow to evolve and adapt to future needs. ” – Brig. Gen. Miguel Garcia Garcia De Las Hijas, Instruction, Training and Evaluation Sub-Directorate Commander, Spanish Army
“In complex combat environments, such as dense urban settings, traditional heavy armour alone is no longer sufficient. Modern armed forces require fighting vehicles that can manoeuvre through tight cityscapes and adapt swiftly to a range of mission profiles, including electronic warfare, drone coordination, logistics, and direct fire support.” – Defense iQ Journalist Joanne Swann 06-02-2025
“Electrification of the battlefield will increase operational advantage… enabling significant advances in stealth mode capabilities with reduced thermal and noise signature.” – Colonel Simon Ridgway (British Army)
Drivers for Innovation
“Hybrid-electric drivetrains have been in commercial production on passenger vehicles for several years, and are now an established, proven technology. ” – “Feasibility of Hybrid Diesel-Electric Powertrains for Light Tactical Vehicles”
J. Giesbrecht
DRDC – Suffield Research Centre
“As the world’s population gravitates towards urban areas, the Marine Corps must maintain proficiency at operating in urbanized areas.” – United States Marine Corps The Basic School Marine Corps Training Command Camp Barrett, Virginia 22134-5019
“Increasingly, the likelihood of large force-on-force exchanges will be eclipsed by irregular warfare… turmoil will often occur in urban areas…” – Land Operations The Force Employment Concept for Canada’s Army of Tomorrow Directorate of Land Concepts and Design
“Meanwhile, hybrid-electric drivetrains are gaining traction across Western militaries, with the U.S. Army exploring these technologies for future tactical fighting vehicles. Benefits include quieter operation, reduced thermal signatures, and greater fuel efficiency – these are advantages that are especially useful in contested, supply-limited urban theatres.” – Defense iQ Journalist Joanne Swann 06-02-2025
“Favour 80% solutions – The future of military power will not be determined by the most exquisite hardware, but by the most effectively scaled and networked family of capabilities. Many of these capabilities will be attritable. Not disposable, not cheap, not expendable—but deliberately engineered to be used fully, deployed widely, and replaced quickly. There should be a contracting vehicle that explicitly states: “if you can achieve 80% of the requirements for 25% of the cost of the alternative, DND is mandated to acquire that capability.” – Build Canada Article: “Transform Canada’s Military with Smart Procurement.” Proposed by Elliot Pence Founder CEO Dominion Dynamics