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Ground vehicle mobility models in U.S. Army entity-level force-on-force simulations have largely been tailored to the specific application (e.g., Janus, Close Combat Tactical Trainer [CCTT], Modular Semi-Automated Forces [MODSAF], OneSAF Testbed Baseline [OTB]). The NATO Reference Mobility Model (NRMM) is the Army standard model for single ground vehicle performance. However, it is much too complex and is not designed for use in entity-level simulations. Janus uses lookup tables based on NRMM speeds, and CCTT uses forces derived from algorithms internal to NRMM. The U.S. Army is developing two new entity-level simulations: CombatXXI and the One Semi-Automated Forces Objective System (OOS), which both have requirements to use NRMM as the basis for their ground vehicle mobility calculations. The U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center teamed with the U.S.

Researchers at the US Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC), working in the field of vehicle mobility, have developed methods to predict the physical interactions of vehicles with soil surfaces. This set of methods use research conducted at the ERDC over the last 40 years to predict the physical interactions of vehicles and terrain surfaces under all seasons. Methodologies to measure pertinent terrain properties and assess vehicle performance have also been developed. Much of the work focused on practical applications and is the result of extensive vehicle performance testing and the subsequent analysis of the test results. While there have been attempts to identify and characterize soil media properties using standard soil classification techniques and to assess their effects on vehicle mobility using classical soil mechanics and other theoretical approaches, the current state-of-the-art is such that these approaches have limited practical application.

Light Infantry Divisions must conduct semiautonomous operations and limited self-resupply in remote snow covered areas. Most wheeled vehicles become immobilized once the vehicle sink-age is greater than their ground clearance. Since many roads and trails will not have been kept open prior to deployment, truck-mounted plows will be ineffective for clearing snow. In most instances, heavy tracked vehicles, which may not be available, are required to plow snow. Therefore a snow removal method using vehicles readily available to light forces is needed. The US Army's Small Unit Support Vehicle (SUSV) is a lightweight, low-ground-pressure tracked vehicle. A towed V-type plow assembly was proposed for this vehicle. A four-bar parallel linkage towing assembly was developed that bolts directly on to the SUSV's pintle hook mounting bracket. The plow was constructed primarily of aluminum, has three plowing widths, and can be towed over the road on integral wheels.