In partnership with the national defense industry on April 3, 2024, the Australian Army successfully conducted tests on a M113 Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) configured for remote operations. These tests were carried out in the state of Victoria as part of long-range firing exercises.
Electro Optic Systems (EOS), a defense company based in Canberra, equipped the M113 APC with its R400 remote weapons system for the trials, which took place in the Puckapunyal Military Area. This initiative is part of a broader project by the army aimed at transforming the M113 APCs into autonomous or optionally manned combat vehicles, named M113 AS4.
Designed to use a 30mm cannon, the R400 system can engage targets such as small to medium unmanned aerial systems and vehicles protected up to STANAG Level 3. It is also capable of being outfitted with machine guns, automatic grenade launchers, and anti-tank missiles. During the tests, EOS personnel, located in Canberra over 550 kilometers away, could remotely control the weapons system and hit targets at 300 and 600 meters.