BAE Systems Australia converted 20 M113AS4s into Optionally Crewed Combat Vehicles for the Australian Army. (Photo: ADF)
The Australian Army is experimenting with UGVs and how they might best be employed, though none have been procured at scale yet. The Robotic and Autonomous Systems Implementation & Coordination Office (RICO), created in March 2020, is in charge of the experimentation.
RICO held a Land Autonomous Systems & Teaming Demonstration (LAST-D) at Puckapunyal in September, and it illustrated some of the UGV directions that Australia is pursuing.
Domestic designs predominated, such as the GaardTech Jaegar-C and smaller DefendTex Banshee, both of which are sacrificial UGVs. Such platforms are attritable and can carry a kinetic payload. For example, these
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DZYNE Technologies, the maker of Dronebuster counter-uncrewed aerial system (C-UAS) devices, has announced plans to expand production and released details on a new version of the system. This follows the release of an all-in-one kit system earlier this year.
The Irish Government has previously outlined ambitious plans, the furthest reach of these being the possible purchase of fighter aircraft to provide a capability the country’s defence force currently doesn’t have. A more advanced procurement effort for a primary radar is being fast tracked.
LTAMDS was approved in multiple flight trials and assessments.
Technology transfer is trumpeted by many companies as a way to tap into new markets, win contracts and expand supply and manufacturing capability. It is often used in the area of armoured fighting vehicles (AFVs) and these requirements are a way to see how – and if – they work.
Faking aircraft, yanks and vehicles has a storied history through the previous century but there are others uses for inflatable systems such as more detailed and classified military equipment and training structures.
New agreement between Singapore’s DSTA and Sweden’s FMV signals deepening cooperation on land systems, with potential focus on counter-UAS and mobile air defence solutions.
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