FLIR Systems has announced that it has won contracts to provide more than 20 of its PackBot UGVs, as well as spare parts and training, to Norwegian Ministry of Defense and Oslo Police, which will upgrade and expand their ground robot inventory.
FLIR’s PackBot UGV supports various operations that would normally put humans at risk, including bomb disposal, close-in surveillance, and situations involving hostages or hazardous materials.
The UGV can be equipped with a range of payloads that deliver real-time intelligence, allowing it to perform sensing of chemical, biological, and nerve agents, radiation levels, explosive traces, and toxic industrial gases.
Defense
Defense
Lockheed Martin, Raytheon successfully fire Javelin missiles from remote launcher mounted on UGV
The Javelin Joint Venture team, which is a partnership between Lockheed Martin and Raytheon, has announced that it successfully fired Javelin missiles from a Kongsberg remote launcher mounted on a Titan UGV during demonstrations at the U.S. Army Redstone Test Center, Alabama.
The Javelin Joint Venture team describes Javelin as a “versatile one-man-portable and platform-employed anti-tank and multi-target precision weapon system.”
“Javelin is ready to support emerging military robotic vehicle requirements,” says Sam Deneke, Raytheon Land Warfare Systems vice president. “Remotely operated technology like this protects soldiers in battle.”
Milrem Robotics unveils fifth generation THeMIS UGV
During DSEI 2019 in London, Milrem Robotics unveiled its fifth generation THeMIS UGV, which is designed to help warfighters and enhance combat effectiveness.
The vehicle leverages the knowledge obtained during tests conducted in the US, Europe, and the Middle East, as well as a deployment in Mali in the French lead Operation Barkhane. Its architecture, safety, air transportability, power offload and other aspects all follow NATO STANAG standards.
U.S. Navy and Marine Corps successfully test Remote Control Assault Amphibious Vehicle
The U.S. Navy and the Marine Corps Systems Command (MCSC) recently successfully tested the Remote Control Assault Amphibious Vehicle (RC AAV).
For two weeks, the Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division (NSWC PCD) team conducted tests in the Open Ocean and surf zone at the United States Marine Corps’ (USMC) Amphibious Vehicle Test Branch (AVTB) at Camp Pendleton, California.
“Assault Amphibious Vehicles were structured to carry troops in water operations from ship-to-shore, through rough water and the surf zone,” says Dustin Bride, RC AAV system engineer at the (NSWC PCD).
Tuesday, September 17, 2019 from 2:00-3:00 PM ET, AUVSI Hill Day: Event Preview
Every day, members of Congress work on legislation that can either boost or hinder the advancement and deployment of unmanned and autonomous systems. AUVSI Hill Day, being held Wednesday, September 25, is an opportunity for the entire industry to come together and declare, with one unified voice, how unmanned technology is making a positive impact on local communities and economies across the country. Join members of the AUVSI Advocacy team as they give a preview of the event, set expectations for the day, and provide talking points to ensure participants maximize their meetings with lawmakers.
Who Should Attend?
Planck Aerosystems awarded $200,000 to test its small UAS in operational settings
Planck Aerosystems will begin testing its autonomous small UAS in operational settings, after the Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) announced that it has awarded the San Diego-based company $200,000.
Planck Aero awarded contract to produce mobile tethered UAS for tactical ground vehicles
The United States Department of Defense’s Combating Terrorism Technical Support Office (CTTSO) has awarded Planck Aerosystems (Planck Aero) a contract worth $2 million to produce mobile tethered UAS that can be integrated onto tactical ground vehicles.
The mobile tethered UAS are equipped with Planck Aero’s autonomy and vision-guided navigation technology, which the company says is ideal for flying from moving platforms, GPS-denied operation, and target detection and tracking.
AeroVironment awarded $45 million contract for its RQ-11B Raven small UAS
AeroVironment has announced that on July 25, it received a firm fixed-price contract award for $45,190,881 for its RQ-11B Raven small UAS and initial spares packages.
Unmanned vehicles to change the way we fight our wars
Unmanned vehicles “are going to change the way we fight our wars,” according to Brig. Gen. Ross Coffman, Director of the Next Generation Combat Vehicle (NGCV) – Cross Functional Team (CFT), U.S. Army Futures Command.
Among the many ways this technology could help soldiers on the battlefield is by taking them out of precarious situations and conducting dangerous operations.
While robots will not save the number of people needed, they “will save the people you have by managing risks,” Coffman said during his keynote address on the final day of AUVSI Unmanned Systems Defense. Protection. Security in Washington.
DOD plans 'trusted capital' program to match small UAS makers with investors
The U.S. Department of Defense will roll out a "trusted capital" program this fall aimed at bolstering the domestic industrial base for small unmanned aircraft, said Ellen Lord, undersecretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment.
Lord, kicking off the first day of AUVSI Unmanned Systems Defense. Protection. Security in Washington, saying, "we are not innovating on the business side of things as quickly as technology is being innovated and applied to warfighter missions."
