General Dynamics Land Systems has presented a mock-up of the TRX ground robot, which will act as a carrier of kamikaze drones. In addition to them, he received a quadcopter.
General Dynamics Land Systems demonstrated a mock-up of a tracked vehicle designed as a launching platform for kamikaze drones. The novelty was shown at the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) exhibition, which opened on October 11 and has already ended.
The robot carries two blocks of 13 launch tubes for the Switchblade 600 UAV, as well as two others, each of which has 12 launch tubes capable of launching the Switchblade 300. TRX also received a quadrocopter-type unmanned aerial vehicle tied to it: it can be removed inside the robot.
The layout of the TRX robot. |
Source: AeroVironment |
Switchblade 300 is a barrage munition developed in the 2010s. Its mass is 2.5 kilograms, and its range reaches ten kilometers. The cruising speed of the drone is 101 kilometers per hour.
The layout of the TRX robot. |
Source: AeroVironment |
The Switchblade 600 was a development of the concept. Its maximum range is at least 40 kilometers. The cruising speed of the Switchblade 600 is slightly higher than that of its predecessor, and is approximately 113 kilometers per hour. The maximum duration of the UAV flight reaches 40 minutes. The combat unit allows you to confidently hit lightly armored vehicles and enemy infantry. The UAV is controlled using a remote tablet.
The layout of the TRX robot. |
Source: AeroVironment |
A large set of drones gives TRX ample opportunities on the battlefield. Thanks to the robot, it is possible to conduct reconnaissance (the barrage ammunition, in fact, is a reconnaissance UAV capable of hitting targets if necessary), observe the enemy and destroy enemy equipment and manpower.
Earlier, Milrem Robotics and Kongsberg Defense & Aerospace agreed about the creation of a robotic machine that can meet the needs of the military. Among the potential customers of the promising crawler robot are the states of Northern and Western Europe, as well as the USA.
New unmanned tracked platforms are being actively created in Russia. Most likely, it will not be limited to robotic complexes of the type "Uran-9", which, by the way, has already passed tests in combat conditions in Syria.
In the foreseeable future, the country may receive a full-fledged unmanned tank armed with a 125-millimeter or even 152-millimeter gun. The base used for the tank can be used for other types of unmanned armored vehicles.