According to information published by RBSL on November 2, 2021, The UK MOD’s (Ministry of Defense) Defence, Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) initiated the study to explore new approaches to UGVs as part of its wider Mounted Combat Systems research project. The RBSL-led consortium, together with Dstl, are working on concept development, analysis and technology risk reduction.
The team’s primary goal has been to enable the development of a more robust, agile and efficient platform that can operate at high tempo and within the decision cycle of opposing forces. The vehicle should also include an amphibious capability that enhances its mobility and effectiveness across a range of terrains.
The study also aims to demonstrate how UGV capabilities can be integrated with other crewed platforms in maneuver warfare, providing an insight into what the British Army’s future force may look like.
RBSL and its partners are developing solutions in two phases, the first using currently available or mature technologies, and the second using technologies that are likely to be available in 10+ years. The consortium is focusing on medium-weight platforms (c. 2-5 tonnes), which ensures the UGVs can carry a range of critical payloads for re-supply, casualty evacuation, reconnaissance, weapons platforms, decoys and communication.
The next step for the program is an evaluation phase where the concepts will be bench-marked against current UGVs. The team will then launch an experiment to test the concepts’ operational capabilities in a synthetic environment noting that, where weapon systems are involved, targets are never engaged autonomously; there is always a human in the loop.