Image source: topwar.ru
The UK has conducted two-week tests of the effectiveness of heavy land transport robots, that is, unmanned vehicles that are designed to perform various tasks on the battlefield. This is reported in a special statement on the website of the Government of the United Kingdom.
Unmanned vehicles of several companies from different countries of the world participated in the tests. Milrem from Estonia, Rheinmetall from Germany and Elbit from Israel showed their products. The main selection criterion was the belonging of the car to the category of "heavy", that is, the weight of more than five tons.
The presented unmanned vehicles were tested for speed, maneuverability, maneuverability, operation of communications equipment, and all this in conditions as close to combat as possible. The British government calls the tests the first step to further explore the possibilities and prospects of such unmanned vehicles in modern warfare.
Image source: topwar.ru
- said Lieutenant Colonel of the British Army James de St. John-Price
Image source: topwar.ru
However, some unmanned vehicles are already involved in modern conflicts. For example, the Estonian company Milrem Robotics handed over to Ukraine several samples of the THeMIS robotic platform. Similar robots are also available in Germany, France, the Netherlands, Norway, the UK and the USA. They were also used during the armed conflict in Mali, where units of the French army were involved. Such developments make it possible to significantly reduce the losses of ground forces personnel during combat operations in the most dangerous areas.
Since this unmanned vehicle is very interesting from a technical point of view, the Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies (TSAST) of Russia is ready to award 1 million rubles to each serviceman or employee of law enforcement agencies, or a group of such, if they can capture THeMIS in relatively good condition and transfer it to specialists for further study.