Mission Master set for Dutch trials
Two-year evaluation to assess ‘various innovative operational concepts’
The Robotics and Autonomous Systems (RAS) unit in the 13th Light Brigade of the Royal Netherlands Army is to trial the Mission Master autonomous UGV from Rheinmetall in a two-year Concept Development & Experimentation (CD&E) programme.
Mission Master was transferred earlier this month, Rheinmetall announced on 10 November, adding: ‘In the CD&E programme, various innovative operational concepts will be shaped to create desired Future Manoeuvre Elements that will enable the Dutch Army to execute missions more effectively.’
Operational concepts will be shaped by the RAS unit and Rheinmetall, in collaboration with Dutch universities, businesses and ‘knowledge centres’, the company added.
The Netherlands is the second NATO military (after the UK in its Robotic Platoon Vehicle programme) to announce it is using Mission Master.
The eight-wheeled modular autonomous UGV is designed to fulfil a range of logistics and battlefield support roles, including battlefield surveillance and CBRN detection, and the platform can be used as a cargo carrier and a medical evacuation vehicle. Rheinmetall is also developing a weaponised version, according to Shephard Defence Insight.
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