The Close Combat Assault Ration initiative is working to go beyond what even the First Strike Ration has accomplished by reducing the weight and volume of operational rations by 40%.
The prototype above shows current form factor and includes ration components that can be eaten on the go. One area of effort is to increase nutrient stability of performance optimizing food products.
This graphic shows how much smaller the CCAR footprint is for a 10-day operation than the MRE.
“Not for consumption” says it all…
I kid, this is actually a really cool initiative. Having been issued FSRs to replace 3x MREs (and appreciating the significant weight/size savings), this is an interesting take. Even stripped MREs/FSRs can use an improvement.
That said, I do wonder if the drive to push weight will result in higher-sodium prepackaged meals, driving up water requirements? The devil’s in the details, but I’m optimistic.
I agree on the water issue. Same with batteries. An earlier article touted the ability of a dismounted unit to carry seven days of food (~30lbs). One would assume they are purifying their own water if there is a source, but no way they are going to be able to carry enough 5590 batteries to sustain comms for that long until we solve the energy issue. Gotta remember a 5590 weighs the same charged as depleted at ~2.5lbs that is a lot of dead weight to hump out. At least the water and chow made your ruck lighter on 3-4 day ops.
Rechargeable Conformal Wearable Batteries, and an SPM-622 Kit takes care of a lot of that battery burden.
haha i don’t know anyone who wears a conformable battery – stacks of them in our echo cage…
Reminds me of the ’81 attempt- the Food Packet Assault. https://youtu.be/Zcm7VCFH6Wc
Infantry NCOs will still find a way to require their Marines / Soldiers to field strip them.
Does it come with a sling shot to use the resulting depleted uranusium slugs in-extremis?
these foods will almost definitely increase water needs. has anyone considered “tactical wagons” to haul your gear in? joking/not joking.
There have been(are?) several different programs/products to do exactly that. – squad mules, hand carts, Chinese wheelbarrows, deer carts…….