NATICK, Mass. – A new, lightweight, energy packed, nutrient-dense, individual field ration, called the Close Combat Assault Ration, CCAR, is now available to all U.S. military service branches for procurement through the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support.
Under development by the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Soldier Center’s Department of Defense Combat Feeding Division, CFD, since 2019, the CCAR utilizes emerging food processing technologies to significantly reduce weight and volume, while retaining vital nutrients.
Early development of the CCAR was supported by the Close Combat Lethality Task Force, which resulted in an accelerated fielding schedule. The goal was to develop a ration to support small units during operations in austere environments where they need to be self-sustained for 7-10 days with limited or no re-supply. The existing individual rations at the time, including the Meal, Ready to Eat and the First Strike Ration, were too large and bulky to meet this operational requirement.
To approach this challenge, the entire division worked together to address the multiple requirements needed to develop a tailored solution. Factors considered included: meeting nutrition needs, supporting performance, warfighter acceptability, processing and packaging to ensure shelf-stability and nutrient retention, and other unique operational challenges.
The first step was to identify and define user requirements. It was initially thought that weight and volume reductions could be gained by simply putting together nutrient-dense bars. However, after utilizing the Product Attribute Elicitation Method, or PEM, a highly scientific process for gathering user requirements, researchers discovered this was not the case.
The PEM sessions asked warfighters for descriptive feedback for a given scenario. This process obtained opinions, scoring, and quantitative data that allowed for statistical analysis. PEM includes ratings that can be scored along with qualitative data that allows for a deeper understanding of user needs.
In 2019, CFD, supported by Tufts University Sensory Science Center, executed PEM sessions with the 10th Special Forces Group at Fort Carson, Colorado; the 10th Mountain Division in Fort Drum, New York; and with the 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Marine Division at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Collecting these user-generated requirements early in the process proved instrumental to the successful development of this new ration.
CFD, in collaboration with industry and other government agencies, then created prototypes for the initial operation test and evaluation, or OT&E, held in 2020. The prototypes included test items developed with both novel and traditional processing methods. Several vacuum microwave dried items were tested along with sonically agglomerated items, which use sound waves to compress the food. Both technologies were found to successfully increase the nutrient and energy density of the food items.
Vacuum microwave drying uniformly removes water with both vacuum and microwave techniques, resulting in smaller compressed items that remain moist. With funding support from the Army, CFD initiated a manufacturing technology effort, which supports the maturation of VMD technology with ration manufacturers and suppliers. SA uses vibration, which combined with compression, instantly welds food molecules together without filler or binders, reducing the item sizes by 30-50 percent while retaining the same ingredients and nutrition.
These and other novel technologies were evaluated during the CCAR’s development and CFD will continue to work with industry partners to identify new technologies and evolve existing ones.
Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic created a delay in the scheduled 2020 IOT&E with warfighters. In 2021, CFD executed an IOT&E with the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Polk, Louisiana and the 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion at Fort Pickett, Virginia. The evaluation tested Warfighter consumption of CCAR prototype field rations for five days with no resupply. There were four prototype menus consisting of novel technology, commercial items and existing MRE menu components.
While the weight and volume reductions drove the need for the new ration platform, user acceptability and nutrition are also critical factors.
“We have a long standing saying in the food world that it’s not nutrition if it’s not eaten,” said Erin Gaffney-Stomberg, PhD, the Combat Feeding Division chief. “It’s critical that optimal nutrition is supplied to warfighters when and where they need it, and in a form that looks, smells and tastes good and is safe. In addition, we need to have science demonstrating how these rations impact warfighter performance. To understand this, we reached out to our partners at the US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine’s Military Nutrition Division.”
According to James McClung, PhD, Military Nutrition Division chief, “negative energy balance, or the inability to consume enough calories to meet metabolic demands, is a threat to warfighter performance.”
Results from the recent studies indicate that Soldiers eating the CCAR consumed more calories and experienced smaller energy deficits compared to those consuming the FSR in an operationally relevant field training. This advantage is attributed to the CCAR’s increased energy density, which may lead to higher caloric intake, while reducing the weight and volume of the ration.
“Importantly, studies demonstrated that the CCAR did not adversely affect physical performance”, said McClung. “As the Army and DOD continue to seek ways to optimize warfighter performance and lethality, evidence indicates that the CCAR is a promising option for short-term missions where it is crucial to minimize the logistical burden while maximizing energy intake and maintaining Warfighter performance.”
The CCAR IOT&E results and recommendations were provided to the Joint Services Operational Ration Forum (Milestone C Decision Authority for Operational Rations) in early 2022. The recommendations were approved and CFD transitioned procurement documents to DLA-Troop Support for the 1st Generation CCAR in the fall of 2023.
The very first production of the CCAR occurred in May 2025 and the ration is now available for units to order through DLA-Troop Support. There are three menus that include 20 new components which leverage the MRE industrial base. Each pallet contains 48 cases with 10 menus per case (480 total meals).
The 1st Generation CCAR has decreased individual warfighter combat load, allowing space for more ammunition, water, and medical supplies.
According to Gaffney-Stomberg, “this ration will replace the FSR and the 39% reduction in volume and 17% reduction in weight as compared to the FSR translates to warfighters being able to now carry five days’ worth of nutrition in a 3-day footprint.”
“This is a significant improvement in capability for contested operational environments,” she said.
The CCAR will sustain semi-independent small units for five days without resupply and can be consumed for up to ten days as the sole source of nutrition per joint regulation. CFD will continue researching novel processing and ingredients, and work with industry to expand menu varieties and reduce weight and size of the ration.
By DEVCOM Soldier Center Public Affairs
Editor’s Note: There are currently only three menu choices which appear to be Spaghetti with Meat and Sauce, Beef Stew, and Chicken Burrito Bowl.
