Defense Technology International - December 2007 - (Page 26)

VEHICLES ROBOTIC AUTOMATION ARMY UGVs meet a growing range of battleﬁeld needs ANDY NATIVI•GENOA ecent advances in robotic technology, along with greater acceptance of autonomous vehicles by commanders and tacticians, are stepping up the pace of development in unmanned ground vehicles (UGV), leading many to believe the robots could be an integral part of land forces within a decade. Using autonomous vehicles to protect humans from battleﬁeld dangers is hardly new. Engineers have experimented with the concept since at least the early 1980s. And UGVs already play a role in security and ordnance disposal. But the next decade will see numerous types, including large armored platforms, enter service to meet needs ranging from cargo transport and convoy protection to combat operations and security patrols. A variety of e orts are underway to prove the potential of UGVs. Programs for autonomous convoys, scout vehicles that search for roadside bombs and ambushes, UGVs that release smaller UGVs for close-quarter operations and even heavy engineering vehicles show remarkable progress. There are, to be sure, problems that must be overcome. One issue is the almost instinctive mistrust humans have of robots that operate autonomously. But as the capabilities of UGVs grow and their presence becomes common, even mundane, experts say they will be indispensable to a well-equipped army. Following is a look at representative developments in Italy and Israel, which have been working on UGVs for years, as well as an overview of key multinational programs underway by the European Defense Agency (EDA) and European Union. A subsequent article focuses on the state of robotic vehicles in the U.S., a major center of UGV innovation. Italian defense contractor Oto Melara is best known for armored vehicles and naval guns. The company, part of the Finmeccanica group, is also making sizable investments in development of UGVs for the Italian army. The goal is to produce platforms that become integral parts of the army’s force transformation program. Oto Melara began working on UGVs in 1986, developing a light security vehicle called Gorgona. Although it demonstrated the vehicle to the army, there was little enthusiasm for it then. One reason was that conscription was still underway in Italy, so the military had plenty of manpower. Most of the army’s attention was focused on the country’s border with the former Yugoslavia, a likely invasion route if war broke out between NATO and the Warsaw Pact. Oto Melara now conducts, independently and with other companies, at least seven UGV projects, ranging from a 26 DEFENSE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL DECEMBER 2007 R Oto Melara’s TRP 2 UGV can carry a sniper-detection system, 223-caliber machine gun and grenade launchers. ﬁve-ton tactical vehicle to platforms weighing as little as 5.5 kg. (12 lb.). The most advanced is Praetor, which may be included in the ﬁrst phase of the army’s modernization program. Praetor, an Italian acronym for remote-controlled robotic electric platform, is a 240-kg. (528-lb.) UGV that carries a 60-kg. payload. It is powered by 1.5-kw. electric motors, has 6-hr. endurance and a control range of 10 km. in line-of-sight and 1-2 km. in urban terrain. Top speed is 50 kph. (31 mph.). Oto Melara says high speed is a must if a tactical UGV is to operate alongside other vehicles or clear a path for a convoy. Speed also increases survivability. The 6 X 6 wheeled platform is 1.5 meters (4.9 ft.) long. It www.aviationweek.com/dti http://www.aviationweek.com/dti

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Defense Technology International - December 2007 Contents Around the World Science Watch Tech Watch BrahMos: Ramjet Ship Killer r-e-s-p-e-c-t Deja Vu Trump Card Dubai Demos Agile Helos Joint Force Online Charge UGVs Creep, Crawl to Victory Sweet Ride Fast, Lethal Ship Defense Networking Stealth: Why Raptors Can't Talk The Net Cutting Edge First Person In Review Insight

Defense Technology International - December 2007

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